(Ottawa) May 31, 2000

Forum on Tobacco Industry Documents

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day (May 31st), Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada is proud to partner with Health Canada in the hosting of a Forum on Tobacco Industry Documents.

This forum is the first meeting of Canadian health researchers to focus on newly-released tobacco industry documents. Participants from across Canada will gather in Ottawa to review new evidence on:

•  How cigarettes are marketed to youth
•  How tobacco companies developed strategies to avoid regulation
• How cigarette packages are designed to overcome advertising restrictions
• How cigarettes are designed to make quitting less likely
• How the companies researched the toxic effects of tobacco without informing governments or the public

Joining the forum will be three international experts on tobacco issues.

• · Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, former head of research for the U.S.-based Brown & Williamson tobacco company, currently provides assistance to Health Minister Alan Rock on interpreting industry documents. Dr. Wigand's insight is particularly valuable as Brown and Williamson, like Canada's Imperial Tobacco Company, is part British American Tobacco's global operations.
• · Mr. Clive Bates, director of the U.K.-based Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), who has uncovered evidence of smuggling strategies of BAT companies.
• · Mr. Francis Caballero, a French lawyer who has successfully prosecuted tobacco companies for conspiring to avoid advertising bans.

Dr. Wigand will be making a public presentation at 12:30 (noon) at the Auditorium of the Ottawa Public Library (at the corner of Metcalfe and Laurier). He will be introduced by the Honourable Allan Rock, Minister of Health.

The papers presented during the forum are available as of Wednesday morning on the web-site www.tobaccopapers.org. These reviews draw on over 700 selected documents which are also available on this site.

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For information: Cynthia Callard
Executive Director