LEESBURG, Va. -- Earlier this week, 65 representatives of health and regulatory agencies from 22 countries attended the International Tobacco Regulators' Conference, hosted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Free Initiative.
According to an FDA release, leaders from around the world "engaged in open and frank discussions about their experiences in tobacco regulation to improve the public health of their nations." The leaders also identified opportunities for collaboration in tobacco control efforts and encouraged information sharing between countries and established experts.
"The Obama Administration is committed to stopping children from smoking and reducing smoking rates and today, we saw a strong, global commitment to address this problem," said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg. "This conference underscores President Obama's commitment to close collaboration with our international counterparts to end the tobacco epidemic."
"This is the natural culmination of increasing our work to fight smoking that dates back to the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003," said Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO Tobacco Free Initiative. "This is the next stepping stone on a path to the creation of a vibrant international community of leaders committed to reducing tobacco use."
At the conclusion of the conference, participants committed to "an ongoing, productive international discussion and collaboration about tobacco regulation," according to the release.
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