Release Date: Thursday 19 December 2002

NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON INVESTMENT IN TOBACCO CONTROL

The case for greater long-term investment to reduce smoking rates will be the focus of a national conference to be hosted by The Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne this year.

A group of outstanding international and Australian speakers have now been confirmed for the 2nd Australian Tobacco Control Conference, to be held in Melbourne from 9-11 April 2003. Leading international tobacco control experts including Dr Michael Cummings and Dr Frank Chaloupka from the USA, Dr Ann McNeil from the UK and New Zealand’s Professor Alistair Woodward will present keynotes addresses.

A number of high profile Australian speakers will also be giving keynote addresses, including Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chair Professor Allan Fels, and Professor Simon Chapman.

Lawyer Peter Gordon from Slater and Gordon will also give a keynote address about tobacco litigation and his firm’s representation of Rolah McCabe in her lawsuit against tobacco company British American Tobacco Australasia.

The Director of The Cancer Council Victoria, Professor David Hill, who is also the chair of National Expert Advisory Committee on Tobacco, an advisory body to the Federal Health Minister, says the conference theme is ‘tobacco control – a blue chip investment’.

“As a community we cannot ignore the scale of the tobacco problem in Australia.”

“Smoking kills 19,000 Australians each year – that’s more deaths than the combined total of deaths from causes like accidental falls, drowning, car accidents, suicide, murder, infectious diseases, AIDS, alcohol abuse and illicit drug use.”

“Reducing the number of smoking-related deaths will benefit government, business and the community as a whole, and requires a long-term commitment and effort.”

“We can’t expect to address this problem effectively without adequate funding or a long term view.”

“The conference aims to show that tobacco control measures – like helping smokers quit and reducing the health effects of passive smoking – are one of the best investments communities can make to enhance their health – and their economic wellbeing.”

Quit Executive Director Todd Harper says the conference will be an important opportunity to unveil new research about the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke, and new ways to help smokers who want to quit.

Mr Harper says the conference will also focus on new marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.

“We know that tobacco companies are constantly developing a whole range of new promotional strategies to sidestep the barriers of conventional tobacco advertising bans.”

“The conference will be a key opportunity to expose new tobacco marketing practices, and bring these practices to the attention of the community and government.”

The 2nd Australian Tobacco Control Conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne from 9-11 April 2003.

For more information please contact Zoe Furman on (03) 9635 5517 or email zoe.furman@cancervic.org.au