National Conference on Tobacco or Health Set to Bring Over 1,000 Tobacco Control and
Public Health Professionals to the Big Easy June 28-30

National Network of Public Health convenes tobacco control professionals from around the
United States to discuss strategies to improve public health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts: 
Katy Sandusky, National Network of Public Health Institutes, 504-930-4011, ksandusky@nnphi.org
Halle Coleman, Fahrenheit Creative Group, LLC, 601-371-8003, halle@fcgworks.com

NEW ORLEANS, La. – On June 28, the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) will convene the 2022 National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH), bringing together approximately 2,000 tobacco control and public health professionals at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, Louisiana. The three-day conference will feature keynote addresses from [KEYNOTE SPEAKERS] and an array of plenary sessions where participants will learn strategies to reduce the impact of illnesses related to tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.

NCTOH is one of the largest, longest-standing gatherings of tobacco control and public health professionals in the United States. Since its establishment, the conference has provided attendees with a forum to share best practices, effective policies, and emerging trends in their ongoing efforts to improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of tobacco control programs and activities.

“The National Network of Public Health Institutes is honored to serve as the convener of this year’s National Conference on Tobacco or Health that will create space for tobacco control professionals to continue building on one of the most successful public health movements in recent history.” said Vincent Lafronza, president and chief executive officer of NNPHI. “The persistence of health inequities, especially in communities of color, has been at the forefront of every conversation in public health, and these avoidable disparities are prominent in tobacco control.”

The 2022 NCOTH will take place during the seventh anniversary of New Orleans becoming smoke-free, an effort widely supported by communities across the city and by Mayor Latoya Cantrell. New Orleans joined over 700 cities nationwide and 31 cities in Louisiana in becoming smoke-free. During NCTOH, public health professionals will engage in further discussions about innovative ideas and strategies to reduce tobacco use and create a healthier future for all Americans.

“The Louisiana Public Health Institute has a long history of working in the tobacco prevention and control space, specifically through the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living – a program of LPHI and the Louisiana Cancer Research Center,” said Shelina Davis, CEO of LPHI. “Through TFL, we have assisted with the passage of Louisiana’s Smoke-Free Air Act in 2007 and helped 31 municipalities pass comprehensive smoke-free ordinances that go a step further than the state’s current law to include bars and gaming facilities. While we continue to advocate for these individual ordinances, we are keeping in mind equitable practices in both legislation and statewide comprehensive tobacco control and prevention efforts to ensure health equity is at the center.”

Commercial tobacco use has been linked to several chronic diseases, including cancer, chronic lung disease, and heart disease. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual economic cost of smoking is more than $300 billion annually—more than half of which is due to lost productivity caused by premature death and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Commercial tobacco use is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including more than 41,000 deaths from exposure to secondhand smoke. In 2018, more than 3.6 million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. The United States Food and Drug Administration warned that youth use of e-cigarettes is reaching epidemic proportions. Truth Initiative®, America’s largest nonprofit public health organization committed to making tobacco use a thing of the past, launched This is Quitting, a free text message quit vaping program, in January 2019 to respond to this dramatic increase in youth e-cigarette use.

Louisianans interested in quitting tobacco can visit www.QuitWithUsLa.org or call 1-800-QuitNow to connect with a quit coach and create a personalized Quit Plan. Coaches are available 24/7, seven days a week. Quit With Us, Louisiana also provides counseling services over the phone, via text, through an app, or on the website chatbox. Quit Coaches can also provide cessation medication and make recommendations on what prescription medications participants can review with their doctor. Youth ages 13 to 17 who want to quit vaping can get vaping-specific cessation assistance by texting “VAPEFREE” to 873373.

For more information about NCTOH, visit www.nctoh.org. To learn more about NNPHI, visit www.nnphi.org.

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About the National Conference on Tobacco or Health
The National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) is one of the largest, longest-standing gatherings of tobacco control and public health professionals in the United States. The goal of the conference is to help improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of tobacco control programs and activities in the United States. During the event, tobacco control and public health from across the United States gather to learn about best practices and policies to reduce tobacco use—the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States.

About the National Network of Public Health Institutes 
Mobilizing more than 40 public health institutes throughout 32 states along with ten university-based regional training centers and 40 training affiliates, the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) supports national public health system initiatives and strengthens public health institutes to promote multi sector activities resulting in measurable improvements of public health structures, systems, and outcomes. NNPHI also serves as the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training – NCCPHT. To learn more about NNPHI, visit www.nnphi.org.