Federally Funded Anti-smoking Ad Prompts 100,000 to Quit [VIDEO]

The graphic anti-smoking campaign "Tips From Former Smokers" led 1.6 million Americans to try to kick the habit, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The survey, which included thousands of adult smokers and nonsmokers both before and after the campaign, found more than 200,000 quit smoking immediately in 2012 following the three-month campaign, half of whom likely quit smoking permanently, according to researchers.

These results far exceeded the campaign's original goals of 500,000 quit attempts and 50,000 successful quits.

"This is exciting news," CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said in a statement. "Quitting can be hard, and I congratulate and celebrate with former smokers -- this is the most important step you can take to a longer, healthier life."

The campaign, which included stories of individuals living with smoking-related diseases and disabilities, cost $54 million and was paid for by the Affordable Care Act's Prevention and Public Health Fund. According to the CDC, the tobacco industry spends roughly $8 billion annually in marketing cigarettes. Smoking-related diseases, meanwhile, cost Americans $96 billion every year in direct health care expenses and $97 billion in lost productivity, the health agency reports.

"Hard-hitting campaigns like 'Tips From Former Smokers' are great investments in public health," said Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health and lead author of the study. According to McAfee, the campaign represents one of the most cost-effective prevention efforts available to health officials, with less than $200 spent for every year of life saved.

As the first federally funded anti-smoking ad campaign, the Tips campaign led to more than twice the number of calls to the national quitline 1-800-QUIT-NOW and more than five times the number of visitors to the website www.smokefree.gov while it aired.

Research also showed an increase in the number of nonsmokers who reported talking to friends or family about the dangers of smoking in the wake of the ads.

According to the CDC, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, killing more than 1,200 Americans every day.