It's the Great American Smokeout!

For over 50 years, the third Thursday in November has been designated the Great American Smokeout, a day to encourage people to kick the habit. Cigarette ads were a staple of television up until New Year's Day 1970, when a Virginia Slims spot on The Tonight Show became the last cigarette ad on the public airwaves after a federal ban.

To me the most memorable anti-smoking ad remains this Yul Brynner spot that ran after the actor died of lung cancer in 1985:

Here is BOTNS Season 9 star Natalie Cole (from our SCTV episode) for the Smokeout event:

Here is that Virginia Slims ad. Note that future Hill Street Blues star Veronica Hamel appears in it: