In the context of the first EU initiative in Portugal on tobacco harm reduction, GAT is promoting a webinar for community and scientific reflection on current approaches to tobacco consumption and what the future holds for public health policies. The webinar "Innovating in tobacco policies: is it possible? - Presentation of the results of the first EU tobacco harm reduction initiative in Portugal", will take place online on July 31, between 3pm and 4:30pm, and is free to attend and requires registration.
The bilingual webinar, in English and Portuguese, begins with an intervention by Helen Redmond, an expert in tobacco harm reduction, mental health and nicotine consumption and adjunct professor at New York University, who was invited to present a perspective on tobacco harm reduction as a right to health.
In terms of Portuguese-language interventions, GAT researcher Adriana Curado will present the results of the first community-based tobacco harm reduction initiative in Portugal. Finally, Luís Mendão, GAT's Director of Advocacy, Health Police and External Relations, reflects on the present and future of harm reduction and the role of civic participation in health policy decision-making processes. The moderator is Malu Salazar, Coordinator of the GAT IN Mouraria center.
Take part in this joint reflection with civil society, policy-makers, people who work with people who use tobacco and people who use tobacco themselves, so that tobacco health policies are innovative and respond to people's needs. Sign up here.
SPEAKERS
Helen Redmond - Tobacco harm reduction: the right to health [ENG]
Helen Redmond is a specialist in tobacco harm reduction, mental health and nicotine use. Helen runs vaping groups for people who use drugs and provides consultancy and training through Nicotine Harm Reduction Consultants. She is a multimedia journalist and senior editor at Filter and writes about tobacco harm reduction policy and vaping. Helen is an adjunct assistant professor at New York University.
Adriana Curado - Safer nicotine products: acceptability study in populations underrepresented in tobacco policies [PT]
She currently works as a drug specialist and community researcher at the GAT Treatment Activist Group. Her experience has mainly been in the area of illicit drugs and in implementing harm reduction responses aimed at high-risk users. As part of a KAC grant, she began working on the issue of tobacco consumption, using a harm reduction approach, with people who use drugs and/or are homeless. She has a background in psychology and public health.
Luís Mendão - Activist experiences and future prospects for tobacco harm reduction in Portugal [PT]
Luís Mendão is Director of Advocacy, Health Policy and External Relations at GAT Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos, an NGO founded in 2001 that works in the field of HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and drug policy, with a view to prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and support for people with these infections. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Coalition Plus. He was a founder and leader of the Anti-Prohibitionist Association (SOMA-APA). In 1994, he represented Portugal and was chair of the Civil Society Forum on HIV, Tubeculosis and Viral Hepatitis at the European Commission, and was President of the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG). He has been a community consultant for the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Europe (WHO Europe), the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
