IHC's TEPOC (Tobacco Education Prevention Outreach Cessation) program is attending the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Annual Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 20-23. Here are highlights from Day 1 shared by Chase Kornacki, TEPOC Project Coordinator.
The day began with a pre-conference workshop, "Navigating Digital Media to Inform Youth and Young Adult Tobacco Research." I learned about the media's influence on youth commercial tobacco use. Did you know that the movie, "Barbie," was the only Oscar nominee for Best Picture that did not include scenes with commercial tobacco?
As a 2024 NIDA Diversity Scholars Travel Awardee, I had the honor of meeting with Dr. Wilson Compton, Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Dr. Compton shared some great information about NIDA research training and career development opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and early-career investigators.
Then, Lisa Brucks (IHC Research & Student Development Director) and Joseph Rodriguez (IHC TEPOC Research Assistant) joined me for the presidential symposium. This presentation featured three speakers from Africa, Central America, and Asia! Each speaker shared insights into their respective efforts in combatting commercial tobacco use within their communities. It was interesting to hear about research challenges and strengths across different regions.
Lastly, we met up with the Indigenous Circle, a group of Indigenous researchers from all over the world. Typically, this group meets virtually. So, it was a rare treat to meet these colleagues in person for the very first time! After our meeting, we gathered for dinner. I enjoyed a lamb pie and sticky toffee pudding.
It was a busy day and we can't wait for Day 2! Tomorrow, we will be presenting our research, "REDUCING YOUTH ACCESS TO COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS ON TRIBAL LANDS THROUGH A RETAILER INTERVENTION."
