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BODY WORLDS Exhibition Uses Lung Specimens to Launch Anti-Smoking Campaign at the San Diego Natural History Museum

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 April 2009, 10:33 CDT

I Quit Program begins April 15 in Partnership with the American Lung Association, www.smokefreesandiego.org and the 1-800-NO-BUTTS California Smokers' Helpline

SAN DIEGO, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- With the largest federal tax on tobacco in American history taking affect April 1 this year, many San Diegans may have an extra incentive to finally quit smoking. BODY WORLDS, in partnership with the American Lung Association's www.smokefreesandiego.org website, launches I Quit--a smoking cessation program beginning April 15 located inside the exhibition. This effort is in support of www.smokefreesandiego.org's 1-800-NO-BUTTS Quit Smoking Hotline and will continue throughout the exhibition run ending Oct. 4.

One of the many dramatic displays in BODY WORLDS at the San Diego Natural History Museum features blackened smokers' lungs compared to healthy lungs. This striking comparison has moved visitors to quit smoking.

The awareness initiative will feature an inspirational multimedia smoking cessation program that includes the memorable PSA by the late actor Yul Brynner before his death from cancer in 1985, pledge cards for visitors intending to give up smoking, a repository where visitors can leave their last packs of cigarettes, and take home information about the hazards of smoking.

The American Lung Association will be on site to inform San Diego Natural History Museum visitors about various smoking-cessation resources on April 15 from 9 AM-3 PM inside the BODY WORLDS exhibition.

I Quit was conceived after exhibition cleaning crews kept finding unfinished packs of cigarettes on the glass display case containing the smoker's lung. "Each rejected pack marked a victory by one person against nicotine addiction," said Dr. Angelina Whalley, a physician, and designer of the BODY WORLDS exhibitions. "Many visitors to the exhibition reported that they had tried everything but only stopped after seeing the smoker's lung," said Whalley.

"The American Lung Association is excited about the opportunity to help people achieve smoking-cessation goals after having been inspired by BODY WORLDS," said Culver "Cub" Parker, volunteer chair of the American Lung Association's local leadership council in San Diego. "As the Lung Association works with the Tobacco Free Communities Coalition to reduce the impact of big tobacco on youth and the general public, the 1-800-NO-BUTTS California Smokers' Helpline directly improves the lives of thousands of smokers by super-charging their decision to quit."

Independent surveys conducted at BODY WORLDS exhibitions have revealed that 68% of visitors resolved to pay more attention to their physical health after seeing the exhibition. At one venue where a follow-up survey was conducted, results showed that 10% of visitors stated that they had smoked less and consumed less alcohol since their visit to the exhibition.

Tickets to BODY WORLDS are available online at www.sdnhm.org, by phone 877.946.7797 and in person at the Museum, 1788 El Prado at the intersection of Village Place and Park Blvd. General admission to the Museum does not include BODY WORLDS.

For more information please visit:

www.smokefreesandiego.org for Smokefreesandiego.org

www.lungusa.org for the American Lung Association

www.bodyworlds.com for Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS

SOURCE BODY WORLDS

Source: PR Newswire

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