National Working Group for ACTTION

June 24, 2009

Earlier this month, several members of Partnership for Prevention and the National Working Group for ACTTION participated in the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH). More than 2,500 attendees – including tobacco control experts, public health leaders, researchers and policymakers – came together to discuss the latest evidence in tobacco control, how to apply current research findings to programming, as well as exchange valuable ideas and tips on how to implement and improve tobacco control activities in the United States.

Many organizations – including Partnership for Prevention and several Call for ACTTION endorsers – saw this conference as an opportunity to discuss the need for more comprehensive cessation treatment services for tobacco users looking to quit. Approximately 100 posters and 20 breakout sessions were presented on cessation throughout the course of the meeting, and the need for comprehensive services – that include the coverage of both counseling and medication – was a common theme in all. 

On Thursday, June 11, the American Lung Association (ALA) hosted a breakout session entirely focused on comprehensive coverage for tobacco cessation treatment. Corinne Husten, of Partnership for Prevention, acted as the session’s moderator and talked broadly about the state of tobacco control, noting that with policy changes and the inherent need to reduce costs in these fiscally challenging times, there is great opportunity to make the case for the need to cover comprehensive tobacco cessation treatment.  She proudly highlighted the Call for ACTTION and reviewed the sector-specific recommendations.

In this session, ALA shared the results of its current “State of Tobacco Control Report Card,” which now includes an assessment of cessation services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries and state employees. Presenters included: Deborah Brown of ALA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter, who shared the results of its economic study in Pennsylvania; Dawn Robbins, the program director for the “Make It Your Business” program, which urges businesses and insurance companies to voluntarily cover and promote help for smokers who want to quit; and Dr. Steven Schroeder of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, who spoke about tobacco cessation among the mentally ill.

Partnership for Prevention also conducted many activities to specifically promote the Call for ACTTION, including a luncheon to introduce and gain support for the recommendations to those who were not familiar with its objectives. After Corinne Husten reviewed the key points of the Call for ACTTION, Karla Sneegas of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency shared the state’s interest in implementing the recommendations in Indiana, and in replicating the National Working Group’s Summit with Indiana-specific stakeholders.

Finally, as tobacco control advocates gathered in Phoenix to share the results of their work, they were also able to celebrate the overwhelming approval from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for new legislation that will grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products. After decades of hard work and dedication, this bill has been sent to President Obama for signature, an important step in reducing tobacco use, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. 

Your Call to Action:  What did you do while attending the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health meeting in Phoenix? Share your comments and experiences with us in the comment box below.