Silver Spring, Maryland (November 7, 2007) – Danya International, Inc. (Danya), a public health communications and technology firm delivering innovative solutions for social impact, recently organized the 2007 National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) held October 24–26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. NCTOH is the Nation’s largest and longest-lasting biennial gathering of the U.S. tobacco control movement, attracting more than 3,200 tobacco control researchers, advocates, and lobbyists; public health officials; smoking cessation experts; health policy advisors; legislative representatives; and tobacco control leaders.

The goal of the conference is to help improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of U.S. tobacco control programs and activities focused on prevention, cessation, and research. The conference receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health, the National Cancer Institute, and several other governmental, nonprofit, and for-profit institutions.

"NCTOH provides a platform for exchange and learning between scientists and health advocates to help our Nation devise strategies to reduce tobacco-related disease and deaths," said Jeffrey Hoffman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Danya. "By fostering ongoing, open collaboration, we can and will reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco use."

Over the course of NCTOH, more than 1,200 experts presented on topics including the latest evidence on health impacts, new treatments in smoking cessation, secondhand smoke policy approaches to youth and priority populations, and the future of tobacco control. One of the most popular conference sessions featured a presentation by Sharon Eubanks, who led the U.S. Department of Justice groundbreaking lawsuit against the tobacco companies. In addition, a panel of international tobacco control experts analyzed and discussed the proposed Global Tobacco Treaty: The Case for Involvement.

The Danya team selected Minneapolis as the location for NCTOH because of its smoke-free status. "Minneapolis was a great choice because the city has been smoke-free since 2005," said Kari Appler of Danya. "But now that the entire state of Minnesota went 100 percent smoke-free a month ago, it was even better because it gave all of us something to celebrate."

"The conference was a success all around and we definitely look forward to organizing the next NCTOH in June of 2009 in Phoenix," added Hoffman.

Danya thanks the following event sponsors for their generous conference support: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health; National Cancer Institute; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Prevention Minnesota; ClearWay Minnesota; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; American Legacy Foundation; Pfizer, Inc.; American Heart Association; Minnesota Department of Health; National Institute on Drug Abuse; Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids; Rescue Social Change Group; Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco; Best Buy; Health Education Council; National African American Tobacco Education Network; and National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty.

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