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1.2 CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES 09.10-09.20 - SEPTEMBER 20 INFOTAB ANNUAL WORKSHOP WASHINGTON, 1983 by Bryan Simpson LADIES & GENTLEMEN, ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARIAT, MAY I SAY HOW PLEASED WE ARE TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN AND HOW DELIGHTED I AM TO HAVE OUR CHAIRMAN ANDREW REID OPENING THIS WORKSHOP. AS CHAIRMAN OF INFOTAB, HE SUPPORTS THE ORGANISATION AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. THIS GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU IN A FORUM WHICH UNDERSTANDS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ASSOCIATION WORK TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CO2IPANIES. I AM ALSO PLEASED TO BE WITH YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME AS SECRETARY GENERAL OF INFOTAB. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE IN BEING AT ALL OF THE ANNUAL WORKSHOPS - THE FIRST BEING IN ZURICH IN 1978 WITH 14 N.M.A.s IN ATTENDANCE. WE NOW HAVE 28 N.M.A.s, MOST BEING REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THIS WEEK'S MEETING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR HISTORY AS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE VERY IMPORTANT EVENTS WHICH HAVE EMERGED FROM THE FIFTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON SMOKING AND HEALTH HELD IN WINNIPEG IN JULY. IT IS A VERY SALUTORY THOUGHT THAT OVER 1000 DELEGATES, FANATICALLY OPPOSED TO SMOKING, CAME TOGETHER WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF DESIGNING PROGRAMMES TO HAVE SMOKING OF TOBACCO ELIMINATED. OUR CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES ARE: TO STRENGTHEN THE INDUSTRY'S POSITION IN THE AREAS OF:

- 2 - (1) SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY (2) MARKETING FREEDOMS (3) TAXATION (4) SMOKING & HEALTH ISSUES (5) SOCIAL COSTS/SOCIAL VALUES IN FRAMING THIS YEAR'S WORKSHOP PROGRAMME WE HAVE PLACED EMPHASIS ON: (A) THE "IMPORTANCE OF ALLIES" IN GROWING, MARKETING AND CONSUMER AREAS. (B) THE RECOGNITION OF THE STRATEGIES OF THE ANTI-SMOKING FORCES ARISING FROM THE WINNIPEG CONFERENCE (C) WAYS OF TAXATION DEALING WITH THE SERIOUS ISSUE OF PUNITIVE (D) SOME ASPECTS OF THE HEALTH ISSUE WITH EMPHASIS ON PASSIVE SMOKING AND THE LATEST RESEARCH INTO C.H.D. WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR OBJECTIVES MORE EFFICIENTLY IF, FROM THIS MEETING, WE HAVE THE CLEAREST POSSIBLE INDICATION OF YOUR NEEDS AT NATIONAL LEVEL. WE HAVE STRUCTURED THE DISCUSSION GROUPS TO ALLOW FOR AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE AND WE WILL APPRECIATE THE FULLEST PARTICIPATION IN THE DISCUSSION GROUP ACTIVITY. TURNING TO THE VALUE OF THE WORKSHOP OVERALL, MUCH OF THE BENEFIT WILL COME FROM THE INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WHICH YOU ALL WILL HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE BUSINESS SESSIONS. EXCHANGING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WILL ENRICH THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK AND FORGE BUSINESS-PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS WHICH ENDURE. 25o1az1491

3 INFOTAB'S ROLE IS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND IMPETUS TO N.M.A.s AND WHERE APPROPRIATE LEAD COMPANIES. WE INTEND STRENGTHENING THE RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION AND ARGUMENTATION DURING 1984 AND STEPPING UP THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATION AT N.M.A. LEVEL. MORE ABOUT THIS ON THURSDAY MORNING. MEANTIME, I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT THIS 1983 WORKSHOP AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS WHICH WILL DEVELOP OVER THE NEXT 2 1/2 DAYS. 060983