Daily Programme

Friday, 20 March

09:00-10:30

Innovative financing for FCTC implementation

A crucial barrier to FCTC implementation is the lack of resources. The dialogues on innovative financing for development have continued in various fora and although tobacco taxes have been identified as a source, tobacco control has hardly been named a beneficiary. Furthermore, with the advent of new technology and private sector involvement, new tools and opportunities to collect and disburse funds are evolving. This builds on research on various forms of innovative financing for tobacco control, such as taxes and charges, solidarity contributions, PPPs, etc.

31

When quitting is not an option: tobacco dependence treatment in severe and serious cases of lung disease

The session examines the following issues: the state of lung health in Europe and the need for tobacco control advocacy; a new ERS website SmokeHaz – an accessible scientific review of the health hazards of smoking; a new ERS consensus document on smoking cessation interventions in smokers that find it difficult to quit; and the outcomes of a European Lung Foundation survey amongst patients of their experience in dealing with healthcare professionals and tobacco dependence treatment.

32

Recent Achievements and Developments of Tobacco Control Mass Media Campaigns

33

Tobacco control in Eastern European countries

Tobacco Control Case studies in Eastern European Countries

34

TAPS in drama in EMR during the month of Ramadan

Enforcing a total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) is a key policy of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the MPOWER policy package. The TAPS ban includes a comprehensive ban on all forms. However, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, it has been repeatedly documented that drama, including movies and TV series especially during the month of Ramadan are extensively used to advertise and promote different types of tobacco use. This practice is a clear breach of the total ban on TAPS that jeopardizes all tobacco control efforts at all levels.

Harmonizing tobacco information and strengthening national capacity for surveillance in the Americas

Many countries in the Latin American and Caribbean Region have made well known advances in surveillance and policy in the past decade. This symposium on the most recent experience of “America’s Champions” will focus on how countries have brought together and harmonized successes in tobacco surveillance and control policies. The symposium will also illustrate how tobacco information has played an important role in strengthening comprehensive national capacity in tobacco control, and how harmonizing tobacco information in the Americas can further contribute to this capacity.

36

Integrating tobacco control and NCDs in the sustainable development framework

The tobacco control community has a unique opportunity to reduce tobacco consumption globally. The UN’s original Millennium Development Goals did not include tobacco control or NCDs and are set to expire in 2015. The new set of Sustainable Development Goals will determine national priorities for the next 15 years. If tobacco control indicators are integrated in the SDGs, tobacco will be elevated as a development priority at the global and national level. This session will discuss actions taken so far and advocacy opportunities to integrate tobacco control in the post-2015 development agenda.

37 

Implementation and evaluation of Australia's plain packaging policy

This symposium will summarise the results of a series of major evaluation studies to understand the extent to which policy objectives were met among Australian consumers. In addition, the session will elucidate tobacco industry counter-marketing mitigation strategies and present research findings that test the veracity of industry claims that standardised packaging would lead prices to plummet, increase use of illicit tobacco, and cause chaos in small retail outlets.

Towards implementing effective tobacco tax strategies: success stories and best practices

Tobacco taxation is one of the most effective demand reduction measures in tobacco control. Article 6 guidelines (presented at FCTC COP 6) provide guidance on how to structure tobacco taxes in order to optimize outcomes and recommend that Parties establish long-term tax policies and set health and fiscal objectives that are regularly monitored and adjusted. This session will present country examples of successful tobacco tax policy efforts. Examples of how the industry manipulates tax systems to reduce the impact of such tax policies and how these actions can be countered will be discussed.

Sponsored Core Symposium 2

Public health-led global standardized testing of tobacco products

Friday, 20 March

14:00-15:30

39

Role of air quality monitoring and community-based compliance assessment tools as methods to promote compliance for smoke-free environment

MPOWER policy package is intended to assist in the country-level implementation of effective interventions to reduce the demand for tobacco, as ratified by the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. One of the six evidence-based components of MPOWER is ‘Protect people from tobacco smoke’. Air quality monitoring and compliance studies are two key tools for measuring second-hand smoke (SHS) levels and hence compliance to smoke-free (SF) laws and regulations. This session will cover aspects of AQM and compliance studies, will further focus on how a simple, innovative, and low-cost methodology can promote compliance.

Gender, tobacco control and the FCTC: 12 years on

12 years after adoption of the WHO FCTC with a preamble requiring gendered approaches this symposium will examine integration of gender and implementation of article 4.2.d. Article 4.2.d indicates that Parties to the FCTC “need to take measures to address gender-specific risks when developing tobacco control strategies" and incorporate gender-specific tobacco control measures. But progress has been uneven or non-existent. Presentations will explore progress and gaps in the integration of gender strategies with a focus on women, and recommendations to support global and regional implementation.

The role of supply-side measures in tobacco control in setting the stage for endgame

Tobacco products are extremely affordable because production lifecycles is subsidized and backed by incentives. To make proven strategies effective, supply-side corrections are urgently needed in developing countries which can show a way forward for endgames of tobacco products. This symposium will cover a range of topics to understand supply-side interventions which can deter the expansion of the tobacco industry and make demand-side reduction strategies more effective

42

The Effects of International Economic Policymaking on Tobacco Control

This symposium will explore the nexus of tobacco control and international economic policy-making, particularly trade and investment. Recently, countries' tobacco control efforts have faced challenges through the international economic system, such as in the World Trade Organization. Much of the interaction involves low- and middle-income countries, both as the antagonists and as the victims. Through a 3-year study in a number of key countries, we examine the key variables that shape these relationships, including the tobacco industry, alternative livelihoods, and development issues.

43

Can e-cigarettes be used to eliminate cigarettes?

A forum from scientists who see potential benefits of e-cigarettes to discuss ways in which e-cigarettes might contribute to more rapidly getting rid of smoking, indeed doing so within a time frame that is unimaginable using other methods. It provides a scientific analysis of the potential harms of vaping, canvasses what we know about the vaping phenomenon, provides early data on population-level impacts, discusses what level of regulation is needed for these products, and the need for further regulating smoked tobacco, and of strategies to do this in ways that also minimises the risks.

44

Richard Doll Memorial Symposium: New findings from large prospective studies in many countries

Major prospective studies in China, India, Europe, and North and South America are monitoring the changing hazards of smoking and benefits of stopping. Those concerned with tobacco control should be given the opportunity to keep up with the new health evidence from these studies.

45

Tobacco industry interference at intergovernmental/international level

PANEL DISCUSSION

Tobacco industry interference (TII) is one of the greatest challenges to tobacco control. UN Secretary General’s report to ECOSOC highlighted TII in the UN system. Recent events show TI’s strategies/tactics beyond national borders, e.g., Interpol’s receipt of Philip Morris’ funds; TI showcasing its partnerships with various governments in combating illicit trade; TI supporting governments to challenge tobacco control measures in other countries. This session will thus assess viable strategies to address these challenges in the context of global solutions and international cooperation.

Sponsored Core Symposium 3 

Investing in developing tobacco control capacity for Africa

Friday, 20 March

16:00-17:30

46

Tobacco product analysis and public health implication

Tobacco use causes extensive, preventable disease and death. Among the thousands of compounds generated in cigarette smoke, at least 250 are harmful to human health. Despite adverse health effects, 80,000 to 100,000 people a day start smoking worldwide. Approximately 10 million cigarettes are purchased per minute. This session will focus on the analysis of harmful constituents in tobacco products, exposure biomarker assessment on the population level, how cigarette descriptors misled the public, the role of product science in informing international policy, and FDA effort on regulatory science.

Implementation of the WHO FCTC: Implications for women and tobacco

This session will address how implementation of the WHO FCTC is intrinsically related to advancing the agenda on reversing the epidemic on women and tobacco. Presentations will cover various articles of the WHO FCTC and the impact on women.

48

Solutions to control tobacco in impoverished communities

The prevalence and negative impact of tobacco use is increasing in impoverished and marginalised communities around the globe. In high-income countries, despite a fall in smoking rates, it remains stubbornly high in lower socio-economic and certain minority ethnic groups. A social gradient to tobacco consumption is also apparent in many middle- and low-income countries. Consequently, health inequalities are widening between different social strata. There is a need to develop and adopt progressive and pro-equity approaches that reduce health disparities between different social groupings.

49

Treatment of tobacco in 21st Century trade and investment rules

In the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, a multilateral trade agreement (MTA) in which future trade and investment agreements (TIAs) are to be modelled after, both the US and Malaysia have proposed language to treat tobacco uniquely. Tobacco is now a key topic in discussions for an MTA. Meanwhile, global “regulatory chill” created by tobacco companies using TIAs has remained omnipresent despite global commitment to hasten FCTC implementation. Thus, this session will assess viable strategies to address these challenges in the context of TIA negotiations that continue to be (re)negotiated.

Tobacco consumption taxes: Regional experiences, advances, challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

Session will present experience on tobacco tax policies in LAC countries and prospects / obstacles to implement further tax increases. Main topics: results of demand and tax studies in LAC, lack of priority of excise taxation in LAC's tax reform policies and at regional and international development banks, potential impact of increased illicit trade, increased regression of tobacco taxation in Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and Brazil, low applicability of 70% tax share target and new tool to assess tax policies in the region based on the approved Recommendations of the Guidelines of Art. 6 of FCTC.

Framing NCDs for action: Insight and innovation from the next generation of public health leaders

PANEL DISCUSSION

This session focuses on novel ways of framing NCDs to enable policy advocates and health professionals to spur states, individually and collectively, to take bold action on NCDs. Although causes of NCDs are well-documented and policies and programs to address the issue are known, the burden of NCDs continues to increase worldwide. Governmental actions at the national level lag. As such, this session brings voices of young global health professionals to highlight new insights into the emerging NCDs narrative through alternatives of framing NCDs to facilitate national action.

52

Measuring the impact of the FCTC: Findings from the international tobacco control policy evaluation project

In the decade since the FCTC came into force on 27 Feb 2005, the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation (ITC) Project has conducted evaluation studies of the impact of FCTC policies to build the evidence base for the FCTC. through its scientific articles and national and policy reports. The ITC Project is currently engaged in an extensive effort to compare FCTC impact across 22 countries, inhabited by over 50% of the world’s population and 70% of the world’s tobacco users. This symposium will present key ITC findings on health warnings, smoke-free laws, cessation, and taxation.

Sponsored Core Symposium 4

Science to inform tobacco regulatory decisions: The U.S. as a case study

Friday, 20 March

17:35-19:05 Conference Hall AA

Sponsored Satellite Symposium 1

Applied tobacco control policy research: Case studies from low- and middle-income countries

Capital Suite 1

Capital Suite 3

Capital Suite 5

Capital Suite 7

Capital Suite 10

10. Globalisation of tobacco interference
Chair: Matt Myers (USA)

Capital Suite 13