The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Tobacco control is at a cross roads. On the one hand we have made enormous steps forward as a result of controls on tobacco marketing, smoke free ordinances, strong health promotion and, perhaps most impressively of all, the first ever international public health treaty. Despite these successes the tobacco industry remains remarkably buoyant and tobacco shares continue to be an excellent investment. There is no sign of our perennial competitor going away or giving in.

There is a need therefore to think about how we should proceed into what Roy Cameron has dubbed the “second generation of tobacco control”. Marketing suggests the need for strategic analysis to define our ultimate goals, identify potential stakeholders, allies and competitors and clarify the most promising way forward. This will need to tackle some challenging issues, including nicotine use, harm reduction / harm avoidance and our relationship with the tobacco industry.

This presentation will one take on this strategic planning process.