SECOND WORLD CONFERENCE
ON NONSMOKERS' RIGHTS

   The Second World Conference on Nonsmokers' Rights was held in Washington DC on April 8-10, 2005.  Unlike previous antismoking conferences which covered many topics including cigarette advertising and promotion, the sale of tobacco products, smuggling, and other subjects, this conference was devoted solely to protecting nonsmokers from the health hazards of tobacco smoke pollution, especially by using legal action in the courts and before regulatory agencies.

   Unlike conventional conferences which typically consist of the presentation of scientific papers by researchers to other scientists, the purpose of this conference was to encourage more use of legal action to protect the rights of nonsmokers.  More specifically, it was designed to develop and explore new legal approaches -- possible legal actions -- for restricting smoking in public places, in workplaces, outdoors, and even in cars and homes to protect children.

   Moreover, while many conferences -- because of their timing and the cost of attendance -- tend to attract primarily mid-level staff members from large national health organizations, this conference was aimed primarily at lawyers already active in protecting nonsmokers' rights, and at law students who represent the movement's future.

   It was held on a weekend when it was easiest for most of the participants to attend.   It was also timed to coincide with the height of the Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival to further encourage attendance, and to provide participants with an opportunity to see the blossoms once the Conference concluded.

   To accomplish the twin purposes of developing new legal theories and approaches to restricting smoking, and then encouraging others to bring them, law students were encouraged -- by a legal writing contest -- to prepare papers suggesting new legal approaches to the problem of protecting nonsmokers from tobacco smoke pollution.  The best entries were then presented at the Conference by the law students who developed them.  Once presented, these ideas were discussed and critiqued by other law students, and by leading lawyers active in the nonsmoking movement.  

   In separate panels, attorneys already active in the field were encouraged to present their own ideas, and to explain how they used legal action to achieve the goals of their organizations.  In addition, to help encourage law students to become involved in this emerging and growing field, there was a presentation on employment opportunities in this area.

   In addition to the law student contest finalists and practicing attorneys, the Conference was also proud to have the Executive Director and several members of the Board of the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute [FAMRI] attend and participate by explaining the major role they played in banning smoking on airplanes.  They also explained the major law suit on behalf of nonsmoking airline employees which led to major concessions by the tobacco industry, and also led to the formation of FAMRI and ultimately to its support for this Conference.

   At the conclusion of the Conference, all participants were invited to discuss the directions in which the nonsmokers' rights movement should continue to evolve, and how to best insure progress in this direction.

  Like the First World Conference on Nonsmokers' Rights, this conference was also by invitation only.   Law students, and some of the lawyers participating, received travel grants to help make their participation possible.  Because of the nature of the Conference, and unlike the First World Conference on Nonsmokers' Rights, no publicity was sought, and reporters were not invited to attend.

   To read the legal action suggestion papers of the law students finalists, please go to: http://nosmokingcontest.org/papers/papers05/
Here you find links to the papers, sorted by the last names of the law student finalists.  The winners were:
1. First Place: ANNAPOLEN, Cori, Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy
2. Second Place: ALCORN, James, Exposing a Child to Secondhand Smoke is Child Abuse
3. Third Place: SIDLE, Bradley, A Proposal for On and Off Work Smoking Ban for Federal Government Employees
All of the remaining papers were awarded honorable mention.

Below is the agenda for the Second World Conference on Nonsmokers' Rights

FRIDAY [in the FACULTY CONFERENCE CENTER*]:

90m 07:30-09:00 Get-together DINNER and Initial registration


SATURDAY [in the MOOT COURT**]:

30m 09:00-09:30 BREAKFAST and final registration (registration closes at 09:30 SHARP)

15m 09:30-09:45 Welcome, by Elizabeth A. Kress, Executive Director of FAMRI
 
30m 09:45-10:15 Opening Remarks and Saturday Keynote, by Law Professor John Banzhaf

60m 10:15-11:15 Presentation of New Legal Action Suggestions A, Presenters 1, 2, 3, and 4

15m 11:15-11:30 BREAK

15m 11:30-11:45 Employment Opportunities in Nonsmokers' Rights, by Chris Bostic, Esq.

60m 11:45-12:45 Presentation of New Legal Action Suggestions B, Presenters 5, 6, 7, and 8


[MOVE UPSTAIRS TO FACULTY CONFERENCE CENTER* FOR LUNCH]

60m 01:00-02:00 LUNCH with presentations from FAMRI Flight Attendant Trustees:
Bland Lane, Lani Blissard, Leisa Sudderth, and Patty Young

60m 02:00-03:00 Presentation of New Legal Action Suggestions C, Presenters 9, 10, 11, and 12

15m 03:00-03:15 BREAK

60m 03:15-04:15 Presentation of New Legal Action Suggestions C, Presenters 13, 14, 15, and 16

15m 04:15-04-30 BREAK

30m 04:30-05:00 Discussion of New Legal Action Suggestions Already Presented

45m 05:00-05:45 Panel Discussion: What is the Future of the Nonsmokers' Rights Movement?

15m 05:45-06:00 Closing remarks about the Sunday sessions, by Law Professor John Banzhaf


SUNDAY [in the MOOT COURT**]:

30m 09:00-09:30 BREAKFAST

30m 09:30-10:00 Sunday Keynote by  Leisa Sudderth, FAMRI Flight Attendant Trustee

60m 10:00-11:00 Brief presentations by selected antismoking attorneys

15m 11:00-11:15 BREAK

15m 11:15-11:30 Announcement of Winners & Presentation of Awards

30m 11:30-12:00 Closing remarks, by Law Professor John Banzhaf

30m 12:00-12:30 LUNCH (with box lunches) and open mike forum


LOCATIONS OF ROOMS


* The FACULTY CONFERENCE CENTER, where the initial Friday night dinner and the Saturday luncheon will be held, is located on the FIFTH (5) floor of the Jacob Burns Library Building in the Law School complex. To get there, please enter through the main entrance at 2000 H St [on H Street] and go directly ahead [South] until you cannot proceed any further. On your right will be the law library. Take the elevator just outside the law library -- not the one in the middle of the law school complex-- to the FIFTH [5th] floor. On exiting, take an immediate right to enter the Faculty Conference Center after passing by male and female rest rooms.

** The MOOT COURT, where the remainder of the Conference will be held -- including the Saturday and Sunday breakfast, and the box lunch on Sunday -- is located on the ground floor of the Lerner Hall in the Law School complex. To get there, please enter through the main entrance at 2000 H St [on H Street] and take an immediate right. After passing a male rest room, you will enter through the main door to the Moot Court. Just outside the other door from the Moot Court is a female rest room.