Jul 6, 2004 11:00 AM

Anti-tobacco television ads targeting young people are much more effective if they show the serious consequences of smoking as opposed to funny or entertaining ads that say smoking isn't "cool."

The study, conducted by a researcher at the University of Massachusetts, found that kids became frightened, sad or disturbed by images of real people with smoking-related diseases.

"If tobacco companies are looking for the most effective way to reach youth with the 'don't smoke' message, they should rely on the findings of this study and develop advertising campaigns that portray real people with cancer, emphysema or heart disease," said the author of the study Lois Biener, Ph.D, in a statement. "Federal and state health agencies, as well as public health groups, who have limited resources for advertising, should also adopt the same strategy for their anti-smoking message to be effective."

The study contradicts previous finding that indicate that tobacco ads are more effective in reaching young people when the ads identify smoking as being socially unacceptable, she said.

A panel of 104 youth judges rated the ads on the amount of emotion they aroused in the viewer.

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