OPHA and CAMH to Hold Policy Forum on Preventing Alcohol-Related Harms

For Immediate Release - February 22, 2012 (Toronto)  - How is healthy public policy influenced? What role does the news media play in shaping dialogue on alcohol policy? The Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) are pleased to present the ninth annual Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity forum, which will bring together experts from across Ontario to tackle pressing questions about preventing alcohol-related harms.

The event will be held on Monday, February 27 and Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at the Novotel North York Hotel, 3 Park Home Ave., Toronto.

Public health professionals, researchers and policy analysts from across Ontario will gather at this forum to discussalcohol and the practical application of current research and policy.

At this year's forum, Influencing Alcohol Policy: Affecting Change through Research, Media and Advocacy, the keynote speaker will be Ann Dowsett Johnston, award-winning journalist and recipient of the 2011 Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy. Well-respected for her expertise in higher education and public policy, Dowsett Johnston will present Our Love Affair with Alcohol: How a Fairy-Tale Romance Blocks Strong Policy, and How Media Can Help.

Other dynamic and influential speakers include:

• Michael Perley of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco
• Andrew Murie of MADD Canada
• Brian Hyndman of Public Health Ontario
• Dr. Matthew Young of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
• Patricia Hajdu of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit
• Dr. Marvin Krank of the University of British Columbia
• Dr. Robert Mann of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Tara Maher of Cancer Care Ontario
• Jason Chapman of Cancer Care Ontario

For a full schedule of speakers and registration information, please visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/dcq8b1

Funded by Public Health Ontario, the Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity forum is a collaboration of OPHA and CAMH.  The forum also receives support from York Region Public Health Services, and the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Public Health Units.

Established in 1949, OPHA is a voluntary, independent organization of public health professionals that provides leadership on issues affecting the public's health. The Alcohol Policy Network is a program of OPHA which facilitates the development of policies that prevent problems associated with alcohol use and enhance the health, safety and well-being of individuals and communities across Ontario.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.  CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

Media: To confirm attendance, for further information, or for a full schedule, please contact:

Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations at (416) 595 6015 or media@camh.net

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