U.S. Department of Health and Human Services NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News NIH Office of the Director (OD) http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/ Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) http://odp.od.nih.gov/omar/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, June 7, 2006 CONTACT: Kelli Marciel (OMAR), marcielk@xxxxxxxxxx, 301-496-4819 NIH HOLDS STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE CONFERENCE ON TOBACCO USE PREVENTION, CESSATION, AND CONTROL, JUNE 12-14, 2006 WHAT: An impartial, independent panel will be charged with reviewing the available scientific evidence on prevention, cessation, and control of tobacco use. The panel will issue a statement of its findings on the final day of the conference, and will hold a press conference at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14. Convened by the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the NIH, this conference is free and open to the public and the media. Conference speakers' presentations, open discussions, and the panel's statement will focus on these questions: 1. What are the effective population- and community-based interventions to prevent tobacco use in adolescents and young adults, including among diverse populations? 2. What are the effective strategies for increasing consumer demand for and use of proven individually oriented cessation treatments, including among diverse populations? 3. What are the effective strategies for increasing the implementation of proven population-level tobacco-use cessation strategies, particularly by healthcare systems and communities? 4. What is the effect of smokeless-tobacco-product marketing and use on population harm from tobacco use? 5. What is the effectiveness of prevention and of cessation intervention in populations with co-occurring morbidities and risk behaviors? 6. What research is needed to make the most progress and greatest public health gains nationally and internationally? WHEN: Monday, June 12, 2006, 8:30 a.m. -- 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, 2006, 8:30 a.m. -- 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 14, 9:00 -- 11:00 a.m. Press Conference: Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Natcher Conference Center NIH Main Campus -- Building 45 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Campus visitor information: http://www.nih.gov/about/visitor/index.htm The conference will also be webcast live at http://videocast.nih.gov/. WHY: Tobacco use remains the nation's leading preventable cause of premature death. Each year, more than 440,000 Americans die from disease caused by tobacco use, accounting for one in every five deaths. Cigarette smoking alone is responsible for more than 30% of cancer deaths annually in the United States, and smoking is also an important cause of death from heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Currently, there are an estimated 44.5 million (21%) adult smokers and an estimated 3.75 million (22%) high school student smokers in the United States. Cigarettes are the predominant form of tobacco consumed; however, other forms of tobacco, such as smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipes, are also used. In addition to the toll on human lives, tobacco use places an enormous economic burden on society. For 1995 to 1999, estimated annual smoking-attributable economic costs in the United States were $75.5 billion for direct medical care for adults and $81.9 billion for lost productivity. Despite enormous progress in reducing the prevalence of tobacco use in this country, it is unlikely that the "Healthy People 2010" objectives of reducing smoking prevalence to 12% or less in adults and 16% or less in youth will be reached on schedule. A better understanding of how effective strategies for prevention and treatment can be developed and implemented across diverse segments of the population is crucial to accelerate progress; meeting the "Healthy People 2010" prevalence goals would prevent a projected additional 7.1 million premature deaths after 2010. This conference has been planned to facilitate an objective review of the available evidence to clarify what is known and what research gaps remain concerning the conference questions. BACKGROUND: The conference is sponsored by OMAR and the National Cancer Institute, through the NIH Consensus Development Program. A background document about the conference process is available at http://consensus.nih.gov/forthemedia.htm. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Conference agenda, speakers, logistics, and online registration are available at http://consensus.nih.gov. To schedule interviews, please contact Kelli Marciel by e-mail at marcielk@xxxxxxxxxx or by phone at (301) 496-4819. NOTE TO REPORTERS: Reporters viewing the press conference via webcast at http://videocast.nih.gov will be able to submit questions on-line through the videocast Web site beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14. NOTE TO TV EDITORS: The press conference on Wednesday, June 14 will be broadcast live via satellite at the following coordinates: C-Band Galaxy 3C Transponder: 23C Orbital Location: 95 degrees west Downlink Frequency: 4160 H Audio: 6.2/ 6.8 Test time: 1:30-2:00 p.m. ET Broadcast: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET NOTE TO RADIO EDITORS: An audio report of the conference results will be available after 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, from the NIH Radio News Service by calling 1-800-MED-DIAL (1-800-633-3425) or visiting http://www.nih.gov/news/radio/index.htm. The Office of the Director, the central office at NIH, is responsible for setting policy for NIH, which includes 27 Institutes and Centers. This involves planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH components. The Office of the Director also includes program offices which are responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH. Additional information is available at http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- "The Nation's Medical Research Agency" -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. ## This NIH News Release is available online at: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jun2006/od-07.htm. To subscribe (or unsubscribe) from this list, go to http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress&A=1.
