Chair | Hasmeena Kathuria, MD, ATSF | Boston, MA |
Vice Chair | Anne C. Melzer, ATSF, MD, MS | Minneapolis, MN |
Committee Member | Don Hayes, MD, MS, MEd, ATSF | Cincinnati, OH |
Committee Member | Dona J. Upson, MD, MA, ATSF | Albuquerque, NM |
Committee Member | Elif Dagli, MD | Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey |
Committee Member | Evan Stepp, MD | Highlands Ranch, CO |
Committee Member | Jamie L. Garfield, MD | Philadelphia, PA |
Committee Member | Janaki Deepak, MD, MBBS, FACP | Baltimore, MD |
Committee Member - PAR Representative | Kristen Willard, MS | Miami, FL |
Committee Member | Megan Piper | Madison, WI |
Committee Member - Immediate Past Chair | Michelle Eakin, PhD | Baltimore, MD |
Committee Member | Panagis Galiatsatos, DrMed | Baltimore, MD |
Committee Member | Sarah E. Bauer, MD | INDIANAPOLIS, IN |
Committee Member | Sven E. Jordt, PhD | Durham, NC |
Staff | Gary Ewart, MHS | Washington, DC |
The Tobacco Action Committee is charged with organizing and coordinating the ATS tobacco and marijuana control and tobacco dependence treatment activities. These activities will include research, clinical, educational, advocacy and policy activities with the ultimate goal of minimizing the impact of tobacco on morbidity and mortality worldwide. The committee will strive to enhance the ability of the ATS to participate more fully in the investigation of the root causes of tobacco use; treatment of nicotine dependence; and advocacy efforts to eliminate its use. The Committee will communicate and collaborate with similar committees or bodies in other organizations such as the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, the Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, and the European Respiratory Society Tobacco Action and Control Committees.
Benchmarks, 2022-2023:
• Collaborate with ATS Government Relations and others with interest in tobacco control to develop evidence-based tobacco control policy recommendations;
• Collaborate with other relevant ATS committees and assemblies to develop products, projects, and/or proposals that address tobacco dependence, tobacco policy, and/or health impacts of tobacco and nicotine;
• Collaborate across ATS website/social media to update materials and develop webinars related to tobacco and cannabis;
• Engage other professional societies in the US and internationally to explore areas of overlapping tobacco control advocacy potential;
• Engage members to develop a coordinated task force to inform tobacco control efforts within ATS;
• Discuss strategies to support state and local advocacy for tobacco control;
• Collaborate with Research Advocacy Committee to communicate research opportunities at FDA to ATS members;
• Nominate a diverse slate of candidates for ATS Respiratory Health Awards.