JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a new anti-smoking ad called the "Tips" campaign federal health officials say they plan to use real smokers who show the negative health affects of smoking.
For the first time the CDC will feature a smoker who cites e-cigarettes are also the problem.
In 2014, the CDC said the national quit line received 80 percent more calls when the ads were on the air, and since 2012 the ads have generated more than 500,000 additional calls, so now they're taking it one step further and including e-cig users.
"It was almost like you know, kind of like a bar, kind of like a drink type shop, but for a newer age-type trend," said Erick Hernandez, who uses e-cigarettes.
A trend the CDC said is just as much of a health risk as smoking, and now since 3-in-4 adults use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
The CDC for the first time ever will air ads like the one where a woman states she used e-cigarettes until her lung collapsed. The woman also said in the ad, that she started having signs of COPD.
Hernandez, 25, said e-cigs are already helping him. He has been smoking on and off for years. He started using e-cigs two weeks ago.
"It made me not want to smoke cigarettes," Hernandez said.
Hernandez said he even uses e-cigs less.
"Most of the people who come to the vapor shop are looking to quit smoking, and even though there's still a lot of research to be done on e-cigs people need options," said Campbell Carroll, manager of Vapor Cig. "You can give different strengths of nicotine so if someone smokes a lot of cigarettes and wants something comparable to what they're doing they can start off there."
People can also choose no nicotine, which is an option that Hernandez hopes to get in the near future.
"It will be something that just sits around in my house and I'm like, 'Oh, this thing,' but its not a necessity," said Hernandez. "That's what I want for cigarettes. I don't want cigarettes to be a necessity. I don't need them."
On March 30, the first ad about e-cigarettes, as opposed to traditional tobacco, will air. The ads will run for 20 weeks on TV, radio, online, billboards, in theaters and in magazines and newspapers.