‘Voice Box’

This hard-hitting, graphic campaign features footage from a real surgery to remove the voice box (larynx) due to cancer. The campaign was developed by Make Smoking History in WA and aims to create awareness that smoking causes head and neck cancers. Around 77% of laryngeal cancers are caused by smoking and the treatment can be physically and emotionally devastating.

In the advertisement, Dr Hamish Mace, Specialist Anaesthetist, explains how the surgery significantly changes a person’s life.

When a person’s voice box is removed, they will need to breathe and communicate through a permanent hole (stoma) in their neck.  Since air no longer passes through their nose and mouth, people can lose their sense of smell which in turn affects their ability to taste food and drink. The campaign aims to encourage people who smoke to stop now, before they end up on the operating table.

View the ‘Voice Box’ campaign television advertisement here on our YouTube channel (sign in to YouTube account required is to view this ad).

Download the Voice Box Campaign Backgrounder

Support for people to quit smoking

Quitting can be hard, and that’s why help and support is available through the Tasmanian Quitline – 13 7848, which is a free telephone information and support service that has been helping Tasmanians to quit smoking since 1995. It is a one-stop shop of all the best tips to support people to quit.

Request a call from Quitline (click here)

Request a free Quit Pack (click here)