WASHINGTON, D.C. and ROCHESTER, Minn. -- The American Legacy Foundation® and Mayo Clinic announced today their first collaboration together, to marry the expertise of the Mayo Clinic's Nicotine Dependence Center and the American Legacy Foundation's public health and marketing acumen to help smokers who want to quit to be successful.

Approximately 45 million Americans in the United States smoke and, according to a 2004 Centers for Disease Control report, nearly 15 million smokers tried to quit in the past year. Further research also indicates that most smokers who want to quit do not understand what it takes to conquer their tobacco dependence, or indeed underestimate how powerful that addiction can be.

The American Legacy Foundation, with Mayo Clinic providing clinical expertise, has developed cessation materials for the pilot phase of EXsm, an innovative new multi-channel program designed to help people stop smoking. The campaign is being test marketed in four U.S. cities from fall 2006 through spring 2007. The two organizations have together created a quit manual and online resources that intentionally avoid anti-smoking overtones used in past campaigns and instead provide those who want to quit with resources to develop a comprehensive quit plan, including expert advice, pharmacotherapies (nicotine patch, lozenges or gum, or bupropion or varenicline), preparation and planning. Additionally, this clinical partnership extends to the foundation's efforts in Hollywood, California.

"Tools such as counseling, online resources and our EX Quit Manual can reinforce the behaviors that will help a smoker to finally quit," said Dr. Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation. "Our hope is that these planning tools will help reduce the physical and mental barriers that prohibit smokers from successfully quitting, and teach them how to conquer their nicotine addictions by changing their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes related to quitting."

"Mayo Clinic is proud to work with the American Legacy Foundation," said Dr. Richard Hurt, director of Mayo Clinic's Nicotine Dependence Center. "Our Center has helped more than 33,000 people with tobacco dependence, and through this collaboration we can help even more people to stop smoking and live healthier and longer lives. Our goal is to use our clinical expertise to help as many smokers as possible who want to quit to be successful."

The EX pilot campaigns, developed in partnership with lead agency GSD&M, from Austin, Texas, will include bilingual, multi-cultural television and radio advertising encouraging smokers who are ready to quit to receive free cessation counseling and the EX Quit Manual by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting www.BecomeAnEx.org. To raise awareness of the EX materials in the pilot sites, the American Legacy Foundation will also tap into existing public health and tobacco control networks including local coalitions in the following test market cities:

• Buffalo, N.Y.: Pilot launched Sept. 26, 2006
  

• San Antonio, TX: Launch date Monday, Oct. 30, 2006
  

• Grand Rapids, Mich.: Launch date Thursday, Nov.16, 2006
  

• Baltimore, MD: Launch date Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007
  

"With our understanding of tobacco dependence and related health issues, it is imperative that we work to lessen its impact on society," said Dr. Denis Cortese, CEO of Mayo Clinic. "Ultimately we need to stamp out tobacco use, and this is a step in the right direction."

"We hope that EX will become the factor that makes a difference for the millions of people in our country who want to quit smoking right now," added Healton. "Each of these individuals is someone who could succeed in their next quit attempt if we reach them with the right combination of messages and resources."

Legacy will be conducting extensive research evaluating the outcomes of the campaign in the four pilot cities with the intent of launching EX nationally in 2007 with a comprehensive public-private alliance of national and state-based public health, government, nonprofit and corporate partners.