On March 17-21, the American Cancer Society participated in the World Conference on Tobacco or Health, a triennial conference serving as a platform for discourse and advocacy, as well as a learning and sharing opportunity for organizations around the world. The conference theme of “Tobacco and Non-Communicable Diseases” highlighted the fact that tobacco use is the most alarming risk factor for diseases, causing millions of deaths every year and contributing to the enormous burden of noncommunicable diseases, including cancer, all over the world.
Luther L. Terry Awards
The American Cancer Society hosted several activities at the conference. The Luther L. Terry Awards Ceremony recognized outstanding global achievement in the field of tobacco control, in six categories: outstanding individual leadership, outstanding organization, outstanding research contribution, exemplary leadership by a government ministry, distinguished career, and outstanding community service.
The awards are named for the late United States Surgeon General Luther L. Terry, MD, who led the landmark 1964 Surgeon General’s report that connected tobacco use to lung cancer and other illnesses. The awards are presented triennially – the initial awards were presented during the 2000 World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago.
Jonathan Samet, MD, MS, from the United States - Distinguished Career award. The United Kingdom Department of Health’s Tobacco Program - Exemplary Leadership by a Government Ministry. Eduardo Bianco, MD, from Uruguay - Outstanding Individual Leadership. The Smoke Free Partnership, in Belgium - Outstanding Organization award. Geoffrey Fong, PhD, from Canada and Frank Chaloupka, PhD, from the United States - Outstanding Research Contribution. Patti White, from the United Kingdom, and Tariana Turia, from New Zealand - Outstanding Community Service.
The Tobacco Atlas, Fifth Edition
Additionally, the American Cancer Society, in collaboration with the World Lung Foundation, hosted a press conference to launch The Tobacco Atlas, Fifth Edition, the most comprehensive, informative, and accessible resource on important and current issues in the evolving tobacco epidemic. The new edition tackles some of the field’s most pressing issues including tobacco’s role in noncommunicable diseases, genderinequality, environmental devastation, and the rapidly growing use of e-cigarettes and waterpipes. Moreover, the Atlas presents solutions and illustrates how governments’ relatively small investments in tobacco control reap enormous rewards for societies. For the first time, the Atlas has an exciting companion website, tobaccoatlas.org, which provides new and timely content and resources.
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