Tobacco use remains the major preventable cause of early mortality and morbidity. In any one year around 5 million people globally will die of tobacco related diseases. One in five deaths in the U.S. is smoking related. Detrimental effects of smoking include cancer, heart disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes, obstetric complications, periodontitis, impaired wound healing and indeed almost all chronic conditions are worsened by smoking. Second-hand tobacco smoke has been classified as carcinogenic by several national and international agencies and increases the risk of several diseases such as respiratory conditions. Kentucky has one of the highest rates of tobacco use and tobacco related diseases worldwide and is also a major producer of tobacco. In the recent era of debate on tobacco taxes and prevention of smoking in public places, this international conference in Louisville is timely and germane and will address the multiple aspects of tobacco-induced diseases and conditions, including pathologic mechanisms and prevention strategies. Scientific Sessions: Epidemiology: 1. Magnitude of the problem; 2. The growing pandemic in China; 3. Politics of prevention; 4. Secondhand smoke exposure General pathogenic mechanisms: 5. Toxic substances and metabolic damage; 6. Reactive oxygen species production from smokeless tobacco; 7. Pharmacology of addiction Specific Disease Related Mechanisms: 8. Lung cancer; 9. COPD; 10. Diabetes - animal models of pancreatic dysfunction; 11. Periodontitis;12. Heart disease;13. Pregnancy complications; 14. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Cot Death); 15. Birth Defects Treatment: 15. Molecular biology of cancer/xenobiotics gene polymorphisms; 16. Cessation Techniques; 17. Harm Reduction; 18. Addiction therapy; 19. Rates of success; 20. Swedish snuff is healthier than tobacco smoking? Poster Session
