On December 18, tobacco control was the theme of the 2009 Kunming Health and Development Conference, co-convened by the Yunnan Health and Development Research Association, Pioneers for Health, and ThinkTank Research Center for Health Development. “Pioneers for Health” is a health policy non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in China a year ago with help from AHPP faculty affiliate Matthew Kohrman, Associate Professor of Anthropology. Pioneers for Health also received the good news that Tobacco-Free Kids/Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use has renewed it for another two-year grant to cover all operational and health advocacy costs.

Article in Translation (Source:  The Economic Daily 经济日报):

More than sixty specialists and academicians from the fields of medicine, economy and sociology convened in Kunming (YunnanProvince) on December 18 for the 2009 Kunming Health and Development Conference, jointly hosted by the Yunnan Health and Development Research Association, Pioneers for Health, and ThinkTank Research Center for Health Development. The theme of the conference was "Tobacco Control for the Creation of a Healthy Lifestyle".  The conference was divided into three parts. For the first part a short film was shown. Titled "Tobacco: From Global Epidemic to Global Control", the film detailed the history of the global tobacco epidemic and its development up to the current day. It looked at the background and significance of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The specialists and academicians present all agreed that a global consensus has been reached regarding the need for tobacco control. As a signatory of the FCTC and as a large nation, China is now responsible for carrying out a huge task. Tobacco control in Yunnan Province will be especially arduous. The second part -- Tobacco Control in Yunnan; Taking the First Step -- focused on the tobacco control effort in Yunnan Province. Topics for discussion included an analysis of ideas and methods to prevent youth from smoking. In the third part -- The Challenges and Opportunities for Tobacco Control in Yunnan Province; a Multi-disciplinary Perspective -- economists, sociologists and health experts engaged in a discussion of issues regarding tobacco control. During the discussion the participants stressed that tobacco control concerns not only public health, but also community development, the domestic economy, the people's livelihood, and the government's image. The most popular topics in this segment were "Tobacco and the Economy", "Tobacco and Health", and "The Influence of Popular Culture on the Behavior of Smoking". A multi-disciplinary approach was used when delving into the issues surrounding tobacco control.