On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2024, CoEHAR (Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction at the University of Catania), in collaboration with LIAF (Italian Anti-Smoking League) and several student associations, is organizing the first roundtable dedicated to the anti-smoking campaign entirely coordinated by young students, postgraduates, and researchers who have distinguished themselves for their commitment to the topic.
From the young participants, we will hear about needs, visions, and proposals that can be shared with the scientific community committed to finding answers to deliver a “smoke-free” future.
The theme set by the World Health Organization for World No Tobacco Day 2024 is “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference.” The goal, according to the WHO website, is “to draw the world’s attention and that of its government representatives to the predatory tactics of the tobacco industry targeting youth for lifelong profits”.
Following the principles of sharing, innovation, and listening on which its activities are based, CoEHAR (founded by Prof. Riccardo Polosa and directed by Prof. Giovanni Li Volti) chooses to define ongoing issues by directly listening to the opinions of young people. From their voices will emerge critical issues, fears, and expectations, but also solutions. From the questions posed by the young participants and the topics on the table, CoEHAR representatives will be able to propose the right answers to the right questions, thus breaking down the generational barrier and tackling misinformation.
The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 30, at 8:30 AM in the Aula Magna of the Biological Tower at the University of Catania. The topics discussed will range from oral to sexual health, from sociology to marketing, from diagnosis to clinical treatment, also covering innovative solutions and new tools provided through the use of artificial intelligence.
Among the young participants at the roundtable are: Noemi Vitale, Federica Amata, Eleonora Uccelli (students of psychological sciences and techniques), Giusy La Rosa (research fellow), Roberto Curto (endocrinology resident), Francesca Cucuzza, Simone Aliotta, Noemi Contino, and Manuela Leonardi (internal medicine residents), Eugenia Pistarà and Irene d’Anna (infectious diseases residents), Antonio Crisci (medical student), Giuseppe Carota (researcher), Chiara Giardina (recent graduate), Emanuela Tropea (research fellow), Vincenzo Miracula (PhD student in physics), Giuseppe Caruso (gynecology resident), Mirko Casu (PhD student in computer science), and Carlo Bellanca (pharmacology resident).
