Thoughts on ITC Project Surveys: Now and into the Future Geoffrey T. Fong, Ph.D. Department of Psychology University of Waterloo ITC-TTURC Project Annual Meeting Portland, Oregon—March 1, 2008

One-third of the world’s population One-half of the world’s cigarette smokers If Bangladesh, Sudan, and India join ITC, then:  Over half of world’s population  Over two-thirds of the world’s tobacco users

Progress of the FCTC  Unanimously adopted in 2003  Already ratified by 152 nations  Conferences of the Parties: COP-1: Feb 2006 in Geneva COP-2: July 2007 in Bangkok COP-3: Nov 2008 in S. Africa

Research—>Policy Over 120 countries must implement some kind of ad/ promo/sponsor ship restriction/ban within 5 years Over 100 countries must enhance their warning labels within 3 years

U.S. Mexico Canada Uruguay France U.K. Ireland Germany India Bangladesh Thailand Sudan Korea China Malaysia Australia New Zealand Netherlands The ITC World

The ITC Surveys * The ITC Netherlands Survey will sample 1,600 from a large internet Panel and 500 using RDD phone methods

7  Warning labels – UK (2003): Text only – UK (2008): Graphic – Thailand (2006): Graphic – Australia (2006): Graphic – Canada (2009): Graphic, Rd 2 – Other countries: Graphic – China (2009): Text only ITC Evaluation of FCTC Policies (Partial List)  Product policies – UK (EU): regulation – US/Canada: RIP – All: product; product x behavior  Light/mild – UK (2003) – Australia (2005)  Smoke-free – Ireland (2004) – Scotland (2005) – England (2007) – US, Canada: sub-national – France (2007/2008) – Germany (2007/2008) – China (partial in 2008?) – Netherlands (Part 2–2008)  Advertising/Promotion – UK (2003): Comprehensive – Thailand (2006): POS bans – China (2011): Comprehensive  Taxation – Multiple countries (ongoing)  Illicit trade – China (2008): prevalence

Temporal trends of the ITC Project  Recruitment and partnership with low-income and low- middle income countries: — Bangladesh, India, Sudan  Greater geographical representation: — Latin America: Mexico, Uruguay; possibilities in Argentina, Brazil(?), Panama(?) — South Asia (India, Bangladesh) — Africa  We will soon be in 5 of the 6 WHO Regions (Sudan is EMRO, but Southern Sudan is really AFRO)

Where do we stand now in the tobacco control community and in global health?  Greater recognition of the power and value of the ITC Project from governments, global research community, advocates  Strong connections with important groups in Civil Society, especially Framework Convention Alliance and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids  Explicit, direct linkages to governments: China, France, Malaysia  Readiness for support

Some exciting present and future possibilities  Europe: New workplan for the European Commission has just been issued. Wording is very nice for an ITC Europe Project.  China: Stronger linkages with advocacy activities (TFK); Chinese government may be moving more quickly in fulfilling their FCTC obligations (e.g., smoke-free). Huge interest.  Latin America: Lot of interest among countries; unclear about funding sources  Sudan: fantastic research team in Khartoum; would be the first ever broad-based study of tobacco use in that country; good opportunities for directly effecting tobacco control policies.

Some exciting present and future possibilities  Bangladesh: high-profile, high visibility project because of the WHO economic study in 2005; Bangladesh is the first country to ratify the FCTC. The first evaluation effort for their 2006 national tobacco control act.  India: for obvious reasons; need to move forward  Growing structures for dissemination of ITC findings (and those of others relevant to FCTC policies): Labeling web resource: Funding for a product resource Other web resource possibilities?

Funding Challenges  Four Country: even if we get the Four Country R01 renewal, we will be 300K short of the fieldwork starting in Wave 8  SEA: will be short of funding after 2008  India: need funding for the main study  Capacity at the DMC as well as at our major ITC Project centres  Waterloo has 1-2 postdocs: know anyone?

Funding Possibilities?  IDRC/RITC  European Commission  Bloomberg: growing interest (e.g.,Jim’s grant for Mexico; other possibilities in Latin America?)  Gates Foundation  Non-traditional funding sources  Tobacco Control Funders’ Roundtable