Models and booking agents from Models Direct were shocked to see the latest anti-smoking campaign videos to come from the US based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last week.

Disturbing footage of real-life former smokers with serious resulting damage – and a child model wearing a smoke filled oxygen mask – contribute to what is possibly the most horrifying anti-smoking campaign yet. View the video below.

Last November we asked the question ‘Have Child Models And Actors Helped You To Give Up Smoking?’ and discussed UK anti-smoking campaigns that have featured real young models and actors – one in particular which used the tag-line ‘Smoking, don’t keep it in the family’ – but this new campaign takes a whole new approach.

It provides yet another wake-up call for smokers who are still finding it practically impossible to quit the habit, by showing them what their future may bring if they don’t give up.

Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the CDC said about the advertisements: “Although they may be tough to watch, the ads show real people living with real, painful consequences from smoking. There is sound evidence that supports the use of these types of hard-hitting images and messages to encourage smokers to quit, to keep children from ever beginning to smoke, and to drastically reduce the harm caused by tobacco.”

The former-smokers featured in the new CDC campaign include 51-year-old cancer survivor Terrie, 31-year-old double-amputee Brandon, and heart attack victim Roosevelt – who reportedly admitted in an interview that even while he was having heart attacks he still continued to smoke. Each shares their story with the camera in the form of ‘tips’ – such as multiple amputee Marie’s: “My tip to everyone is, don’t believe that this can’t happen to you, because it can.”

The most upsetting story for many though will be that of seven-year-old Aden whose mother tells how secondhand smoke left him in intensive care: “My son Aden has asthma. Second hand smoke triggered his asthma so bad he had to end up in the emergency room and has spent multiple nights in intensive care, now he’s on a whole bunch of medications. My tip to you is, don’t be afraid to tell people not to smoke around your kids.”

Here at modelling employment agency Models Direct we do hope that campaigns like this help to save lives and prevent our children from being tempted to start this dangerous habit – but are the CDC going to far? Let us know what you think.