Summit Goals

Summit Goals

The 5^th National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco will be held on September 21, 22 and 23, 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin.  This summit intends to broaden the national coalition of organizations, agencies and individuals committed to reducing and eventually eliminating the use of smokeless and spit tobacco products.  A significant portion of the program will be devoted to youth issues of prevention and cessation.  The summit will continue to serve as a forum for disseminating the latest research in the field, as well sharing strategies with professionals that have proven effective and successful in the fight against smokeless tobacco.  Furthermore, the summit will continue the campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of smokeless tobacco products generally across the United States and beyond.

 August 2008

• Increase awareness and knowledge among public health professionals, the general population and public policy makers of the dangers of smokeless tobacco use.

• Increase awareness of the marketing activities of smokeless tobacco companies.

• Address the harm reduction issue/debate.

• Provide knowledge of interventions to prevent and reduce smokeless tobacco use.

• Document the need for additional research and evaluation to reduce smokeless tobacco use.

• Provide a platform for on-going innovation in community-based practice and cessation systems to reduce the use of smokeless tobacco and eliminate tobacco industry influences.

• Facilitate the creation of new partnerships and strengthen existing ones.

• Reach out to youth to effectively prevent the initial use of smokeless tobacco products, and to assist youth who already use such products to quit.

• Address issues of disparity among specific population groups, such as Native Americans.