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ASH News and Events Bulletin - 01-15 September 2011

HEADLINES

EVENTS

  • Australia: Are lawmakers smoking out tobacco brands?

    Australia faces some imposing legal hurdles in its attempt to ban tobacco trademarks. Matt Packer looks at the issue from a legal perspective, for Australia and other countries also thinking about extinguishing them. 

    Source: New Legal Review - 05 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/n3W8LT

  • It may be the end for promotional packaging

    The government is to launch an official consultation on removing all promotional packaging from cigarettes by the end of the year.

    In April Australia set out plans for new rules which would force tobacco companies to use plain packaging carrying graphic health warnings on all cigarette packages. The move, which is due to come into effect next July, is the most draconian measure yet to reduce tobacco sales.

    Ministers in Britain say they are keen to see how successful the measure is particularly in deterring young people from taking up smoking in the first place. If it is seen to have worked the measure could be adopted in this country.

    Sources in the Department of Health said there was unlikely to be any move soon but they were keen to look at all the benefits and potential problems with a packaging ban early so it could be implemented if it was seen to work in Australia.

    "The Tobacco Control Plan confirms a commitment to consult by the end of this year on options to reduce the promotional impact of tobacco packaging, including an option to require plain packaging," said a Department of Health spokesperson.

    "But we must get this right. Before we publish the consultation we must ensure that we have expert legal advice on the trade, competition, EU single market and intellectual property rights implications."
     

    Source: The Independent, 03 September 2011
    Link: http://ind.pn/nZVPLB

  • Shop tobacco display 'likely to encourage children to smoke'

    Researchers have warned that tobacco displays in shops are attractive and memorable and are likely to encourage young people to take up smoking in future.

    A study funded by Cancer Research UK, questioned 950 non-smokers aged 11 to 16 about their attitudes towards tobacco displays and their ability to recall them.

    It claimed 27 per cent of the 950 questioned are susceptible to taking up smoking in the future because they failed to express a definite desire never to smoke.

    It also found that 81 per cent of the children questioned admitted noticing behind the counter tobacco displays, while nearly one in five paid close attention to them.

    With increasing levels of interest, the study concluded, there was a marked rise in the likelihood that a child would take up smoking in the future.

    Anne Marie Mackintosh, lead researcher in the study, said: "Demonstrating that young people who had never smoked appear vulnerable to the colourful and brightly-lit tobacco displays is a real concern and reinforces the importance of putting those displays out of sight."

    Source: Scotsman, 10 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/pQL6LR

  • Smoking in Russia: will old habits die hard?

    Smoking is a leading cause of death and disease, and Russia leads the world in smoking. David Holmes reports on emerging efforts to rein in the country's tobacco epidemic.

    Source: The Lancet - 10 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/qS14bh

  • Time for action in New York on non-communicable diseases

    A major opportunity to advance global health is in danger of being lost. On Sept 19—20, heads of states and governments will gather in New York, NY, USA, at the UN High-Level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) to approve a political statement on responding to the global NCD crisis. These diseases, principally cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, are responsible for two-thirds of the 57 million deaths worldwide each year, with four of five NCD deaths occurring in low-income and middle-income countries; at least half these deaths are readily preventable. Until now they have been neglected by countries, development agencies, and funders.

    See also: 

    - Saving Lives, Taking Risks... and NCDs, Huffington Post

    Source: The Lancet - 10 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/rnq0jR

  • Turkey working on cigarette branding ban law

    Turkey is working on new regulations that would ban brand names, logos and designs on cigarette packaging and replace them with numbered black boxes, Milliyet [an Istanbul-based newspaper] reported.

    The regulations would ban any imagery or text other than health warnings and aims to reduce cigarette usage. Smokers would be required to order cigarettes by number.

    Health Minister Recep Akdag has asked officials from the World Health Organization and Turkey’s Tobacco and Alcohol Markets Regulation Board, or TAPDK, to coordinate technical studies toward implementing the new regulations, Milliyet said.

    Source: Bloomberg, 07 September 2011
    Link: http://bloom.bg/n5oWU0

  • Lords: 'Ban smoking in cars with children'

    Tory peer Lord Ribeiro, a former president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said the evidence of damage to children from passive smoking is well documented.

    At question time in the House of Lords, he asked health minister Earl Howe: "Are you prepared to follow the example of the Welsh Assembly to introduce legislation if efforts to change behaviour fails?", urging the Government to consider banning adults from smoking in cars in which children are travelling.

    Lord Howe said the Government wants to encourage people to "create family environments free from second-hand smoke" but believes they could be achieved more quickly by voluntary measures than legislation.

    He added: "Children are particularly vulnerable to the harms from second-hand smoke. Over 300,000 children in the UK present passive smoking-related illnesses to their GP every year. We have to take this matter seriously and we are."

    Source: Yahoo!/Press Association - 08 September 2011
    Link: http://yhoo.it/of3xIt

  • Parliamentary question: Cigarette vending machines

    Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the prohibition on tobacco sales from vending machines from October 2011 includes machines which are placed under a counter or otherwise away from public view and usage; 

    (2) what legal advice his Department has sought on the prohibition of tobacco sales from vending machines from October 2011 and compliance with EU regulations; 

    (3) will provide compensation to cigarette vending machine companies to cover the costs of removing their machine stock in order to comply with the legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco from vending machines coming into force in October 2011; 

    (4) what notification his Department has given to cigarette vending machine companies of a change in the law concerning their trade coming into effect in October 2011. 

    Anne Milton: The prohibition of tobacco sales from vending machines will come into force, in England, on 1 October 2011. This legislation only applies to vending machines used by the public to buy tobacco products.

    The Government believe this legislation is compliant with European Union law. Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal have upheld this view.

    The Government is not intending to pay compensation to vending machine companies. We believe the regulations, which were made in March 2010, are a proportionate means of achieving important public health policy aims.

    Sinclair Collis and the members of the National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators, who between them, own the majority of vending machines in England, are both well aware of the commencement date. A national communication campaign will confirm the position before October.

    Source: Hansard - 05 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/nuIrBa

  • Parliamentary question: Smoking ban review

    Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans a national review of the smoking ban; and if he will make a statement.

    Anne Milton: In “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England” published in March 2011, the Government sets out their belief that the aims of smokefree legislation are continuing to be achieved effectively. Alongside this plan, an independent academic review of the evidence of the impact of smokefree legislation was published, titled “The Impact of Smokefree legislation in England”, showing that the legislation has had beneficial effects on health. Copies of both documents have already been placed in the Library.

    The Government also published their interim Post-Legislative Assessment of the Health Act 2006 on 12 July 2011, a copy of which is available in the Library.

    The Government have no plans to review smokefree legislation further at this stage.

    Source: Hansard - 06 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/pNJFW8

  • Smoke and mirrors: how the tobacco industry hides behind lobbyists

    The tobacco industry is covertly using third-party companies to lobby against smoking restrictions and to gain access to health documents held by public organisations.

    Public relations companies and law firms are working on behalf of anonymous multinational tobacco companies without declaring who their clients are, according to an investigation by The Independent.

    The third parties have refused to confirm they are working on behalf of tobacco firms when they make freedom of information requests from universities and other public bodies, even though the third parties are demanding more openness from their targets.

    The public relations company Bell Pottinger and the London law firm Clifford Chance have both requested information from public organisations without making it clear they are working on behalf of tobacco firms.

    The Independent has established that Alex Deane, a former chief-of-staff to David Cameron, played a key role in attempts to use the freedom of information law against one public organisation involved in promoting awareness against the health dangers of roll-up tobacco. Mr Deane is a director of Bell Pottinger which earlier this year requested documents from a health-awareness organisation funded by the NHS, the Bristol-based Smoke Free South West, following a campaign it ran against roll-up tobacco, which is popular in that part of the country.

    Soon after this informal request, Smoke Free South West received a formal freedom of information request for the same documentation from Big Brother Watch, a right-of-centre libertarian group founded by Mr Deane.

    Neither Bell Pottinger nor Big Brother Watch declared to Smoke Free South West that they had held discussions with one another or with Bristol-based Imperial Tobacco, which is listed as one of Bell Pottinger's clients in the PR firm's website.

    Martin Dockrell, Director of Policy and Research at ASH, said that the tobacco industry's use of "front" organisations was nothing new.

    He added, "Big Tobacco's dirty little secret is how they get others to do their dirty work. Some front groups are pretty much wholly owned subsidiaries; some appear to be independent but tobacco companies pay the bills and pull the strings."

    Source: The Independent, 03 September 2011
    Link: http://ind.pn/n0ww98

  • Australia: Foreign industry groups issue fresh threats on cigarette plain packaging bill

    Tobacco companies and industry groups from Europe and Kenya have issued a fresh warning against a bill requiring plain packaging of cigarettes in Australia.

    Camel and More cigarettes manufacturer JTI said Australia risks facing intellectual property disputes before the World Trade Organization (WTO) while the British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) threatened to sue the government if the legislature passes the bill.

    The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) also warned of political backlash from countries to be impacted by the legislation.

    Industry groups from Quebec, the Ukraine, Chile, Brazil, Peru and East Africa have also criticized the controversial bill being supported by political parties and health experts.

    Source: International Business Times - 13 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/pCdCIC

  • Bulgaria: Deal sealed to sell Bulgarian tobacco company

    Bulgaria's privatisation agency has sealed a deal to sell cigarette maker Bulgartabak to a unit of Russia's VTB Bank for 100.1 million euros ($136.1 million).

    Austrian-registered BT Invest, controlled by Russia's second biggest lender, won the tender to buy a 79.8 percent stake in the Balkan country's dominant tobacco company. It was the only bidder for the stake after British American Tobacco withdrew from the competition.

    The deal will be finalised after receiving approval from the Commission for Protection of Competition.

    The Balkan country's centre-right government has been keen to sell Bulgartabak, which holds a 36 percent market share, to bolster public revenues and ensure a market for Bulgarian tobacco.

    Bulgartabak's sale is a politically sensitive issue in the European Union's poorest member state because many of the country's ethnic Turks, who make up about 10 percent of the population of 7.4 million, are tobacco growers.

    The privatisation of the cigarette maker failed in previous years due to political wrangling and pressure from interest groups benefiting from cigarette smuggling and state-financed contracts.

    Source: London South East, 13 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/onGEH8

  • Malawi: Child labour: the tobacco industry's smoking gun

    The Guardian reviews the ongoing problem of child labour in the production of tobacco in Malawi where child workers as young as five are being exposed to the toxic dangers of tobacco harvesting.

    Source: The Guardian, 14 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/r2Zxn0

  • Tobacco giant's war on science

    Philip Morris International is seeking to force a British university to reveal full details of its research involving confidential interviews with thousands of children aged between 11 and 16 about their attitudes towards smoking and cigarette packaging.

    The demands from the tobacco company, made using the Freedom of Information Act, have coincided with an internet hate campaign targeted at university researchers involved in smoking studies. One of the academics has received anonymous abusive phone calls at her home at night.

    Philip Morris says it has a "legitimate interest" in the information, but researchers at Stirling University say that handing over highly sensitive data would be a gross breach of confidence that could jeopardise future studies.

    "They wanted everything we had ever done on this," said Professor Gerard Hastings, the institute's director. "These are confidential comments about how youngsters feel about tobacco marketing. This is the sort of research that would get a tobacco company into trouble if it did it itself." Professor Hastings added: "What is more, these kids have been reassured that only bona fide researchers will have access to their data. No way can Philip Morris fit into that definition."

    See also

    - The uses and abuses of freedom and a comment piece by science correspondent Steve Connor

    - University fights Philip Morris tobacco research bid, BBC News

    - Philip Morris: tobacco firm using FOI laws to access secret academic data, The Telegraph.

    - Tobacco industry should be kept away from young people, The Independent.

    - Professor defiant in tobacco-giant battle, The Scotsman

    - Tobacco giants tell Whitehall to hand over its secret minutes, The Independent 

    ASH's Tobacconomics report reveals how the tobacco industry has attempted to "throw sand in the gears" of public health policy.
    Source: The Independent - 01 September 2011
    Link: http://ind.pn/owTAw4

  • Tobacco trade group chief quits

    The head of the UK tobacco industry’s main trade body has resigned after failing to persuade the coalition government to rescind anti-tobacco measures.

    Christopher Ogden, chief executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, will step down in October as part of a review of the organisation's structure, which will see the departure of five of the TMA’s seven employees, and lead to a more localised approach to lobbying and campaigning by tobacco companies.

    Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, called the shake-out “a sign of how ineffective the TMA has been”, and said congratulations should go to the government for standing up to the tobacco industry.

    “The government’s commitment in its recently published Tobacco Plan to protect its public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry and to go ahead with removing tobacco displays in shops must have been the last straw,” she added.

    See also:

    - TMA announces new secretary general, Talking Retail


    [Access to link below restricted to registered users] 

    Source: The Financial Times - 31 August 2011
    Link: http://on.ft.com/ohd6Ld

  • Judge upholds $28M judgment against R.J. Reynolds

    A federal judge has denied a motion by cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for a new trial in the case of a Connecticut woman awarded a $28 million judgment for injuries from smoking.

    Barbara Izzarelli was awarded $12 million by a jury in May 2010 after she was diagnosed and treated for cancer after smoking Salem King cigarettes for 25 years.

    Judge Stefan Underhill added nearly $16 million in interest to the judgment based on a state law that makes tobacco companies liable for interest payments on reasonable settlement offers that are refused while a case is pending. Apparently, the plaintiffs offered to settle for $400,000 in 2001, but that offer was rejected.

    Source: The Business Journal - 01 September 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/oVvV4H

  • Hookah (Shisha) smoking - growth in popularity

    Abstract
    Hookah smoking has recently emerged as a popular alternative to cigarette smoking, particularly among young adults. The perception that hookah smoking is cleaner and less harmful than cigarette smoking appears to be key to its increased use, although this is not the case. Hookah tobacco smoking delivers the powerful addictive drug nicotine, higher levels of carbon monoxide than a cigarette as well as many of the carcinogens in cigarette smoke. There is also significantly increased risk associated with secondhand smoke from hookah smoke. Communal hookah use increases the risk of transmission of infectious diseases. Transition from social to individual hookah use is a critical step toward nicotine dependence as well as progression to cigarette use. Prevention and intervention in patients' tobacco use should include discussion of cigarette alternatives including hookah smoking.

    Rankin, K., Hookah smoking: a popular alternative to cigarettes, Texas Dental Journal, 2011 May;128(5):441-5
     

    Source: PubMed - May 2011
    Link: http://1.usa.gov/oGoOcP

  • Mental health and NHS stop smoking services

    Abstract

    Background:Tobacco dependence among people with mental health problems is an issue that deserves attention both from a clinical and from a public health perspective. Research suggests that Stop Smoking Services often fail to ask clients about underlying mental health problems and thus fail to put in place the treatment adaptations and liaison procedures often required to meet the needs of clients with a mental health condition who want to stop smoking. This study assesses the recording of mental health problems in a large NHS stop smoking service in England and examines the effect of implementing a short screening procedure on recording mental health conditions.

    Methods: Treatment records from the Stop Smoking Service covering a period of 13 months were audited. The prevalence of reported mental health problems in the six month period before the implementation of the mental health screening procedure was compared with that of the six month period following implementation. The screening procedure was only implemented in the support services directly provided by the Stop Smoking Service. Comparisons were also made with third-party sections of the service where no such screening procedure was introduced.

    Results: The prevalence of reported mental health problems among a total of n = 4999 clients rose from less than 1% before implementation of the screening procedure to nearly 12% in the period following implementation, with the change being statistically significant. No significant rise was observed over the same period in the sections of the service where no screening procedure was implemented.

    Conclusions: The absence of standard procedures to record mental health problems among service users in many stop smoking services is currently likely to prevent the detection of co morbidity. Implementing a simple screening procedure appears suitable to increase the routine recording of mental health problems in a stop smoking service, which is an essential step to ensure services can be tailored and delivered appropriately to the client group.

    McNally, L., et al., The prevalence of mental health problems among users of NHS stop smoking services: effects of implementing a routine screening procedure, BMC Health Services Research 2011, 11:190doi:10.1186/1472-6963-11-190

    Source: BMC - 16 August 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/ns2RNa

  • Smoking and memory

    Abstract

    Background: Smokers, previous smokers and a never smoked group were compared on self-reported and real world prospective memory (PM – the cognitive ability of remembering to carry out particular actions at some future point in time).

    Methods: Twenty-seven current smokers, 24 people who had never smoked and 18 previous smokers were compared using an existing groups design. Scores on the long and short term PM subscales of the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) and scores on a Real World Prospective Memory Task (RWPMT) constituted the dependent measures. Smoking and other drug use were assessed by a Recreational Drug Use Questionnaire. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale gauged levels of anxiety and depression. The National Adult Reading Test measured IQ, and retrospective memory was measured using the PRMQ. Gender, age, anxiety and depression, IQ, alcohol use and the retrospective memory scores, were measured as covariates and controlled for in the analysis.

    Results: A series of univariate ANCOVAs were applied to the main PM data across the three groups, controlling for variations in age, gender, mood, IQ, alcohol use and retrospective memory scores. These revealed no significant between-group differences on self-reported PM; however smokers recalled significantly fewer action–location combinations than the never smoked and previous smoker groups on the objective RWPMT.

    Conclusions: Existing smokers showed reduced performance on RWPMT when compared to the never smoked group and previous smokers. Real-world PM impairments should be added to a growing list of neuropsychological sequelae associated with persistent smoking.

    Heffernan and Moss, Smoking-related prospective memory deficits in a real-world task, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.06.010
     

    Source: Science Direct - 02 July 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/r4EnxV

  • Smoking in movies and youth smoking

    Abstract
    Aim To investigate whether the association between exposure to smoking in movies and smoking among youth is independent of cultural context.

    Method Cross-sectional survey of 16 551 pupils recruited in Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Scotland with a mean age of 13.4 years (SD=1.18) and an equal gender distribution. School-based surveys were conducted between November 2009 and June 2010. Using previously validated methods, exposure to movie smoking was estimated from the 250 top-grossing movies of each country (years 2004–2009) and related to ever smoking.

    Results Overall, 29% of the sample had tried smoking. The sample quartile (Q) of movie smoking exposure was significantly associated with the prevalence of ever smoking: 14% of adolescents in Q1 had tried smoking, 21% in Q2, 29% in Q3 and 36% in Q4. After controlling for age, gender, family affluence, school performance, television screen time, number of movies seen, sensation seeking and rebelliousness and smoking within the social environment (peers, parents and siblings), the adjusted ORs for having tried smoking in the entire sample were 1.3 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.5) for adolescents in Q2, 1.6 (95% CI 1.4 to 1.9) for Q3 and 1.7 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.0) for Q4 compared with Q1. The adjusted relationship between ever smoking and higher movie smoking exposure levels was significant in all countries with a non-linear association in Italy and Poland.

    Conclusions The link between smoking in movies and adolescent smoking is robust and transcends different cultural contexts. Limiting young people's exposure to movie smoking could have important public health implications.

    Morgenstern, M., et al., Smoking in movies and adolescent smoking: cross-cultural study in six European countries, Thorax, 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2011-200489
     

    Source: BMJ - 25 August 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/nwyuHu

Events

  • UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases

    The Summit will focus on the four most prominent non-communicable diseases, namely, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. The aim of the summit is to agree on a global strategy to address NCDs.

    There will be a High-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of Non-communicable Diseases (19-20 September 2011), while Non-communicable disease indicators are on the agenda for discussion during the Millennium Development Goals Review Session (20-22 September 2011).

    Date: 19 September 2011
    Venue: New York City, USA
    Contact: http://bit.ly/dOgoW4

  • Working together to reduce health inequalities

    This half-day briefing will explore the implications, risks and opportunities involved in the practical application of the Department of Health’s Healthy Lives white paper, published in December 2010, with regards to understanding and reducing health inequalities.
     

    Date: 23 September 2011
    Venue: ORT House Conference Centre, London NW1
    Contact: http://www.pavpub.com/p-399-working-together-to-reduce-health-inequalities.aspx

  • Changes to the UK guidelines for travellers

     

    From the 1 October 2011 the UK will reduce in the Minimum Indicative Levels (MILs) used by Border Agency staff to assist in determining whether importations of tobacco products from other EU Member states are for own use.  

    This is in accordance with the levels set out in EU Directive 2008/118 - 800 cigarettes and 1kg tobacco.  From this date the previous UK MILs for cigarettes and tobacco of 3,200 sticks and 3kg respectively will no longer apply.  This will bring the UK in line with all but one of the other EU Member States. 

    Date: 01 October 2011
    Venue: UK

  • 14th European Health Forum Gastein

    The EHFG has developed into a key annual event, bringing together, politicians, senior decision-makers, representatives of interest groups, and experts coming from government and administration, business and industry, civil society and science and academia.

    Date: 05 October 2011
    Venue: Salzburg, Austria
    Contact: http://www.ehfg.org/registration.html?&L=0

  • Study day at Royal Marsden Hospital: It's never too late to stop

    The day covers Smoking and the impact on cancer treatment and how to support cancer patients and their families to stop smoking.

    Date: 07 October 2011
    Venue: Royal Marsden Hospital
    Contact: www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/studydays or call: (0044) 020 78082924

  • Tackling tobacco in your community: A compelling business case for action

    Organised by the Local Government Group, this conference will provide the opportunity for leading members and officers to find out more about the compelling business case for a comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco use.

    Date: 11 October 2011
    Venue: Town Hall, Manchester
    Contact: www.local.gov.uk/events

  • Tobacco and Alcohol: Learning From Each Other Conference

    Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent among people with alcohol use disorders. People who are dependent on alcohol are more likely than those in the general population to be smokers, and people who are dependent on tobacco are more likely than the general population to be dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use problems are associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence and a lower likelihood of smoking cessation. More alcoholics die of tobacco-related illness than die of alcohol-related problems. The link between alcohol and tobacco has important implications for those in the alcohol and smoking cessation treatment and policy fields. The conference is an opportunity to learn from each other and to present new models and ways of working.

    Date: 12 October 2011
    Venue: Parc Thistle Hotel, Cardiff
    Contact: http://www.ashwales.org.uk/conference-registration/

  • Tobacco science at ICAA 54th International Conference on Dependencies

    Plenary sessions with keynote speakers of international renown will address major themes, most of them having a general, non-substance-specific nature covering aspects relevant to matters regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

    On Monday 14th November one plenary session will deal with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. (Presenters: Deborah Arnott, Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) UK,  Prof. Robert West, Professor of Health Psychology and Director of Tobacco Studies. University College London

    On Wednesday 16th November there will be Major sessions including four presentations with tobacco-specific content: 
    Harm reduction 
    Prof Ann McNeil, Professor in Health Policy and Promotion, Deputy Director of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham. UK

    Pharmacological and non-pharmacological features of Substance Dependence : comparisons between alcohol/drugs/tobacco
    Karl Olov Fagerstrom PhD, Fagerstrom Consulting, Helsingborg, Sweden

    Scientific basis for tobacco product regulation
    Lars Ramström PhD, Institute for Tobacco Studies, Stockholm, Sweden

    Tobacco control policies
    Deborah Arnott, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), London, UK

    SESSIONS OF THE ICAA SECTION ON TOBACCO DEPENDENCE 
    All participants are encouraged to submit abstracts of contributed papers for oral presentation in the sessions of the ICAA Section on Tobacco Dependence. We welcome presentations dealing with any aspect of tobacco science and control (research, prevention, treatment, policy etc). 


     

    Date: 13 November 2011
    Venue: British Medical Association's Conference Centre, BMA House, London
    Contact: www.icaa.ch/london/

  • Stop Smoking Live!

    A combination of seminars, exhibition stands from key suppliers, organisations active in the field, and services keen to recruit and share their expertise will offer stop smoking practitioners and tobacco control advisers a way to update their knowledge and skills.

    There will be over 600 delegates drawn from primary health care, hospital settings and specialist smoking cessation services.

    Date: 02 December 2011
    Venue: Business Design Centre, Islington, London
    Contact: http://www.stopsmokinglive.org

  • Fiftieth anniversary of RCP report on smoking and health

    To mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of its first report on Smoking and Health in 1962, the Royal College of Physicians is organising a one-day conference.

    Date: 06 March 2012
    Venue: Royal College of Physicians
    Contact: http://events.rcplondon.ac.uk/details.aspx?e=2497

  • 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health

    The premier, international conference on tobacco control attracts thousands of academics, practitioners, non-government organisations and public officials. 

    Date: 20 March 2012
    Venue: Singapore
    Contact: http://wctoh2012.org