Welcome, Overview, and Charge

November 6, 2003: Public and Private Sector Roles in Tobacco Use Reduction

Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, Surgeon General

Michael Schooley, Executive Secretary for the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health, welcomed participants to the meeting and introduced the Chair of the Committee, Surgeon General Richard Carmona.

Dr. Carmona began by talking about his personal interest in addressing tobacco. Both of his parents died from smoking related illnesses and as a child, Dr. Carmona suffered from various health conditions related to his exposure to secondhand smoke. A trauma surgeon for much of his professional career, he became increasingly aware that he was, in his words, a surgeon of "societies' indiscretions." This led to his current firm belief in the importance of prevention and his commitment to this issue as Surgeon General.

Dr. Carmona continued by describing the background and history of the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health (ICSH). This committee was established by Congress under the authority of the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act of 1984. It reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Surgeon General and is staffed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). The ICSH is charged with helping to coordinate HHS and other federal research, educational programs, and other activities related to smoking and health, and provides a liaison function to appropriate private organizations and federal, state and local public health agencies regarding smoking and health activities.

New public members of the committee were introduced.

Michael Fiore, MD, MPH
University of Wisconsin Medical School/Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention
Madison, Wisconsin

R. Nicolas Trane, MD
Blank Children's and Methodist Hospital/Department of Radiology
Des Moines, Iowa

Dennis Richling, MD
Union Pacific Railroad
Omaha, Nebraska

Dr. Carmona concluded his introductory remarks by reviewing the agenda and telling meeting participants that he would brief Secretary Thompson on the day's discussions. He then introduced the first speaker.