QUIT Tasmania has launched its latest anti-smoking campaign with images of a gangrenous foot.

A graphic commercial will begin screening in Tasmania tonight and photos of the foot will soon be on cigarette packets.

The commercials will run until the end of the month.

Dr Stephen Wilkinson performs amputations on smokers and he says gangrene can happen to people as young as 35.

“Lung cancer is a hidden disease, it’s inside of your chest, you can’t see it and people fade away,” he said.

“But gangrene of the limbs is in your face and I think when people see gangrene on themselves, when they see their own bodies falling to bits, they realise it’s too late.

“I think if you can just stick a graphic image in front of younger people, they realise that this is for real.”