Following a call for applications in early 2018, we are very excited to announce that eight distinguished advocacy and tobacco control experts from around the world were approved by the WHF Board on the 30th of June. The Group will be chaired by Floris Italianer, who said, “As the chair of the WHF Tobacco Expert Group, I am very pleased to share with you our new members of the TEG. Each will bring in their specific expertise regarding tobacco control, and together, we will make the global advocacy work of the TEG a true success! We will keep on informing you on latest developments and achievements of this new advocacy group through this and other channels.”
There were a large number of excellent applications and nominations for this group. We would like to warmly thank all those who applied. Criteria for selection included geographical diversity, a high level of tobacco control knowledge or advocacy experience and complementary skills. We would like to congratulate Eduardo Bianco, Regina Dalmau, Fastone Goma, Koji Hasegawa, Kelvin Khow, Andriy Skipalskiy and Michal Stoklosa.
Tobacco consumption remains one of the main avoidable risk factors for cardiovascular health. The TEG will support and strengthen all tobacco-related issues and advocacy work already undertaken and will also help to further mobilise WHF members to increase its capacity to meet the organisation’s priorities for 2018-2020 and tobacco control (TC) objectives.
As WHF President Professor David Wood said recently, “It is our duty to help our patients with heart disease to quit smoking, and for those patients at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke to help them quit as well…but even more importantly, we need to raise awareness and educate the general public about the impact tobacco on our hearts”.
The Tobacco Expert Group will be attending the Eight session of the Conference of the Parties (COP8) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which is taking place in Geneva from 1 to 6 October.
