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The con that kills

Campaign information

On Sunday 22 October 2023, Quit re-launched the Victoria-wide campaign ‘The con that kills’.

‘The con that kills’ is a campaign, developed by Quit, designed to raise awareness of how tobacco companies modify tobacco products in ways that make it easier for young people to start smoking and for current smokers to continue using these dangerous products.

Share the campaign assets on your channels during the campaign period – October 22 to December 2 2023 – and help us reduce smoking rates and save lives.

  • Campaign summary
  • Key messages
  • Target audiences
  • Social media assets
  • Languages other than English
  • Campaign feedback

Campaign summary

Tobacco use remains Australia’s single leading cause of preventable disease and death. Tobacco products are modified in ways that make the toxic smoke feel less harmful. This makes it easier for young people to start smoking and for people who currently smoke to continue using these dangerous products.

‘The con that kills’ is a new campaign, developed by Quit, designed to raise awareness of some of these tobacco product manipulations and the harm they cause.

The campaign will lead with a 30-second advertisement across television and digital platforms in Victoria. Four cut-down versions will focus on modifications made to filters and roll-your-own tobacco, and the masking agents and additives that are added to tobacco.

The campaign will run in Victoria from October 22 to December 2 2023 .

The con that kills 30-sec TVC

Key messages

  1. Tobacco companies manipulate tobacco products in ways that make the toxic smoke feel less harsh and harmful than it really is. When you don’t feel the true harshness of the smoke, you get fewer immediate cues that the smoke is damaging your airways. It allows you to keep taking in lungfuls of cancer-causing chemicals. This is the con that kills.
  2. All tobacco products are toxic. The aerosol from e-cigarettes also contains toxic chemicals, metals and particles that cause harm. The best way to escape the con is to quit.

Target audiences

  1. All people who smoke in Victoria aged 18-64 years.
  2. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities with high smoking rates. ​Three CALD communities in Victoria were selected based on having the largest number of people who smoke:​
    - Lebanese Arabic-speaking people who smoke in Victoria
    - Chinese Mandarin-speaking males who smoke in Victoria
    - Vietnamese-speaking males who smoke in Victoria.

Social media assets

Share our campaign messages with your communities to help us reduce smoking rates and save lives:

  1. Throughout the campaign period - October 22 to December 2, 2023 - promote our campaign content on your social media channels by using the material and sample social media posts provided below
  2. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and share our posts
  3. Remember to tag us on Facebook and Twitter: @quitvic and LinkedIn: @quit-victoria.

Sample social media posts (Twitter-friendly):

The con that kills

Tobacco smoke is extremely harsh and painful. Tobacco companies manipulate their products in ways that make the toxic smoke feel less harmful than it is. It allows you to keep taking lungfuls of cancer-causing chemicals. This is #TheConThatKills theconthatkills.org.au

Download 'The con that kills' image file

Additives

Tobacco companies use additives and masking agents that make tobacco smoke feel less harsh and painful than it really is, but you’re still breathing in 200+ poisonous chemicals. It’s the con that kills. Find out more: theconthatkills.org.au #TheConThatKills

Download 'Additives' image file

Filters

Tobacco companies add tiny holes to cigarette filters that help make the toxic, cancer-causing smoke feel less harmful than it really is. It's the con that kills. Find out more: theconthatkills.org.au #TheConThatKills

Download 'Filters' image file

Menthol cigarettes

Menthol is one of the additives used in tobacco that masks how harsh and damaging the toxic smoke really is. It also makes smoking more addictive. It’s the con that kills. Find out more: theconthatkills.org.au #TheConThatKills

Download 'Menthol cigarettes' image file

Languages other than English

Campaign information is available in:

A Quitline counsellor can speak with people in languages other than English through an interpreter service.

To arrange to speak with a Quitline counsellor in:

  • Arabic through an interpreter, please call 03 9514 6793 and follow the instructions.
  • Mandarin through an interpreter, please call 03 9514 6791 and follow the instructions.
  • Vietnamese through an interpreter, please call 03 9514 6794 and follow the instructions.

For all other languages, call Quitline on 13 7848 and tell us you need an interpreter. We will call you back with an interpreter in your language as soon as possible.

Campaign feedback

If you have any feedback or concerns relating to ‘The con that kills’ advertisements, please call 03 9514 6834 and leave your name and contact number. We will return your call as soon as possible.

Frequently asked questions

What about heated tobacco products?

All forms of tobacco are harmful. The aerosol from heated cigarettes, also known as heat-not-burn, contains many of the same poisonous cancer-causing chemicals as cigarette smoke...

What about e-cigarettes?

While e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, they do contain hundreds of chemicals: some are known to be harmful to inhale and many haven’t been tested at all. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. People who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to smoke than people who don’t use e-cigarettes...

Read all FAQs

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