New York City's Health Department on Wednesday launched a new anti-smoking campaign with another round of graphic television commercials aimed at scaring people into quitting.

Ronaldo Martinez, a laryngeal cancer survivor who appeared in a series of much-publicized anti-smoking television commercials in the Northeastern United States, is featured in the new advertisements.

If the advertisements are not enough to get New Yorkers to quit, smokers may soon find a message from Martinez in their e-mail inboxes.

Martinez, who speaks through a mechanical voice box after having his larynx removed, will also appear in new Internet advertisements that New Yorkers can e-mail to others.

Officials said the graphic advertisements, which will be on TV, radio, subways and kiosks will be presented in both English and Spanish.

"I am a physician. I have taken care of people who have been gasping for every single breath because of smoking - people who have lost toes, legs because of smoking, people who have had strokes and are unable to speak because of smoking, people who have had heart attacks and can not even walk across the room because of smoking. That is the reality of smoking," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden. "Showing that reality helps people firm their resolve to quit."

As part of the new campaign, the health department will also give out free nicotine patches and gum to smokers.

Meanwhile, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been pushing for a cigarette tax hike to 2 dollars per pack.

The taxes would drive the price of many cigarettes to about 7 dollars a pack. Bloomberg said raising taxes on tobacco could prevent young people from smoking.

Source: Xinhua