For Immediate Release
July 10, 2006

Smoke-Free Future – Roswell Park Faculty Addresses International Smoking Conference

BUFFALO, NY – Smoke free laws work. That was the message from Andrew Hyland, PhD, Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute at the United Kingdom National Smoking Cessation Conference, Newcastle, England.

Dr. Hyland was a keynote plenary speaker at the world’s largest annual gathering of smoking cessation practitioners on June 26. More than 600 experts convened to discuss all aspects of smoking cessation research and practice.

Dr. Hyland presented his work which examines how comprehensive smoke-free policies reduce secondhand smoke exposure and may help people stop smoking. His research, conducted in New York State and abroad, shows that adoption of smoke free laws do not cause adverse economic impact on the local hospitality industry. Further, research indicates that smokers are more likely to stop smoking, especially if the clean air law is coupled with other interventions such as education campaigns, higher prices for cigarettes and access to inexpensive medical treatments such as nicotine patches.

“Smoking represents a major threat to global health, especially in developing countries” noted Dr. Hyland. “The international tobacco control community is working together to reduce the devastating social, economic and health effects of smoking through effective tobacco control policies.” 

Among the European countries, Ireland enacted smoke-free laws in March 2004. Scotland adopted similar legislation in 2006 and England’s nationwide comprehensive smoke-free law is scheduled to take effect in 2007. New York State went smoke-free in 2003.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. For more information, visit the RPCI website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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