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Dr.
John Slade
Distinguished
Leader in Addiction Treatment
and Tobacco Prevention
Dr.
John Slade, an expert on the treatment of alcohol,
tobacco and drug addiction, and one of America’s
pioneer advocates for tobacco control, died
Tuesday at the age of 52. Dr. Slade suffered
a stroke last July.
An internist by training who projected the quiet
air of a small-town doctor, Dr. Slade had a
deep, personal concern for people struggling
with addiction, and he devoted his life’s
work to fighting that public health pandemic.
He provided treatment to patients as Director
of the Program for Addictions at the University
of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)
School of Public Health, and he worked arduously
for global changes in smoking laws. He spoke
out vigorously about the advertising and promotion
of tobacco products, and his knack for collecting
tobacco promotional items—from T-shirts
to model cars—led to the creation of one
of the largest repositories of its kind, which
he dubbed, “Trinkets & Trash.”
Click
here for more..... |
Nancy
Kaufman's words
from the memorial service,
February 9, 2002
|
Hey,
John... May your passing from the physical world to
one of endless joy be peaceful and rewarding. Thank
you for the research you and endless crusade against
a deadly, no remorse killer. PEACE!
Joseph E. Howard
- Monday, April 08, 2002 at 03:53:09 (EDT)
John
impressed me deeply as an internist, scholar, and
moral being. He influenced me to teake on Smoking
Cessation as a major professional interest and in
each encounter with a patient. The good that he has
done with his life's work is enormous and incalculable.His
life and work, all too brief, were a gift to a troubled
world.
Ellen Cosgrove, MD Associate Dean, UNM School of Medicine
- Monday, February 25, 2002 at 16:48:59 (EST)
I
first knew John Slade by his words in print fourteen
years ago. I read the things he said, which impressed
me enormously, giving me guidance and courage, and
I treasure his words set down on the left hand side
of the cover of my copy of Dr. Glantz' The Cigarette
Papers. It's strange how much I gained from his life,
and now give in turn to him, my deepest gratitude.
Merrell Williams
- Sunday, February 24, 2002 at 06:52:03 (EST)
In
January 2002,I saw John at a meeting of a committee
on which we both served. He had to leave before the
meeting ended, so there was not an opportunity to
speak with him directly. I e-mailed him several days
later and received this response which I shared with
another colleague on the committee. She thought that
it should be posted on John's memorial page, so here
it is: Dear John, It was wonderful to see you at the
meeting the other day. We have all missed your leadership.
And of course, your wonderful smile and bow tie! The
residual effects of the stroke must be very frustrating
to you at times, but please know that those of us
who have had the privilege of getting to know and
work with you on the Tobacco Dependence Treatment
Advisory Committee admire your courage and tenacity
enormously and are very glad to have you back! John's
response follows: Dear Mary - Thank you for your kind
note. It was good to see you as well. You are perceptive:
it is frustrating to be fatigued and not up to do
nearly as much as I would like. At the same time,
things have gotten better. There are many things that
once were easier (before my illness), but there are
also lots of things that are better in the past few
months. Regards - John
Mary Germain, College of Nursing, SUNY-Downstate medical
Center
- Saturday, February 23, 2002 at 11:15:59 (EST)
John
Slade was a leader and a mentor to many of us. He
modeled perseverance and he modeled the mechanics
of creating attitudinal shifts that then turned into
outright paradigm shifts. He brought people into the
struggle with his passion and articulate outrage,
backed up by research and experience. In our case
in Massachusetts he inspired and early on helped to
nurture a project similar to his own Addressing Tobacco
in the Prevention and Treatment of Other Addictions.
He and his staff envisioned that drug free also includes
nicotine free. He did not write off smoking among
alcoholics and addicts as something to be left alone
or a hopeless cause or not as serious as other addictions.
He recognized that education and treatment were needed
for staff and clients, that there was interest in
quitting, that systems could change and the definition
of chemical dependence could expand to include the
primary addiction of most folks with substance abuse:
tobacco. In the chemical dependence treatment field,
we often say, “A drug is a drug is a drug.” John really
held us to it. I will always remember him for his
inability to write off anyone as being above or beyond
or not eligible for this message of hope: that people
can try to quit, and can recover from, nicotine dependence,
whatever the “prevailing wisdom.” We will dedicate
our 8th annual Department of Public Health-funded
conference to him in Massachusetts this April, “A
New Vision of Recovery: Understanding and Responding
to Tobacco’s Impact.” I will miss his warmth, his
interest, his approachability. I already miss his
take on the tobacco companies’ latest shenanigans.
He had a huge impact on my thinking and my work, and
I miss him. The work continues, with Dr. John Slade
in mind.
Janet Smeltz, TAPE Project, Institute for Health and
Recovery
- Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 17:31:14 (EST)
Last
week, the world lost a brilliant, inspirational, compassionate,
humble and truly remarkable public health champion,
Dr. John Slade. John was an internationally acclaimed
physician, professor, researcher and health activist,
whose work has been responsible for saving thousands
of lives from drug addictions, primarily tobacco.
John was the first member of STAT (Stop Teenage Addiction
to Tobacco), the grassroots activist organization
founded by Joe Tye that put the issue onto the national
radar screen. I had the pleasure of serving on STAT's
board of directors with John since 1990. John coined
the term "pediatric epidemic", later used by FDA Commissioner
David Kessler to describe the rampant tobacco addiction
among our nation's youth. Dr. Kessler and the FDA
also relied upon John in developing its historic,
albeit short lived, tobacco regulations. John Slade
also was the nation's preeminent leader in integrating
the treatment of tobacco addiction with the treatment
and rehabilitation of alcohol, cocaine, heroin and
other drug addictions. These are but a few of John's
many achievements. And for more than a decade, John
Slade was a dear friend of mine. He will be sorely
missed.
Bill Godshall
- Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 10:36:15 (EST)
Is
there an individual or organization in tobacco control
that John Slade hasn't inspired or influenced, or
an aspect of this field that he didn't help initiate
or advance? He was the Renaissance man of tobacco
control. Even in medical school, he was ahead of the
pack. At Emory University, where we met as medical
students in the early 1970s, he undertook an unusual
additional year of study before graduation to assist
in research on alcohol and drug abuse. We renewed
our friendship in 1984 when he invited me to present
medical grand rounds on tobacco problems at the hospital
in New Jersey at which he practiced. Soon thereafter
he established the first lecture series on tobacco
issues at any US hospital and wrote a seminal article,
"A disease model of cigarette use" (New York State
Journal of Medicine 1985;294-298). In the mid-1980s,
well before tobacco control became a politically and
academically recognized discipline and before the
popularization of email, hardly a week went by that
John, Greg Connolly, and I did not spend hours on
the phone sharing observations about tobacco issues.
Roommates at the Tokyo conference, we debated strategies
for so long we hardly slept. When he stayed at my
home in Houston a few years ago, John and I sat up
all night in our pyjamas exchanging slides and tobacco
promotional items like two kids trading baseball cards.
We laughed at how our collections were literally overflowing
our homes, and remarked at how blessed we were that
our wives accepted and understood our commitment to
studying and ending the tobacco pandemic. John's contributions
to New Jersey GASP, the American Society of Addiction
Medicine, the FDA, Father Michael Crosby's tobacco
shareholder resolutions, and countless other organizations,
legislatures, and conferences are legendary. But his
wit and sense of irony were as keen as his scholarly
works. My favorite John Slade story relates to when
he conceived of the idea to attend a major tobacco
industry trade fair in Virginia. After being greeted
with suspicion by the various exhibitors, he calmly
stated that was an "analyst" hoping to write about
the industry. Upon hearing that, they all handed him
copies of their most recent financial reports, available
only to the industry, believing that their companies
would receive favorable publicity from this distinguished...stock
market analyst. I can't imagine tobacco control without
John Slade.
Alan Blum, MD
- Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 10:34:27 (EST)
It
is with a heavy heart and considerable personal sadness
I reflect on the passing of John Slade, a wonderful
man, a close colleague and a truly effective tobacco
control researcher and activist. Reading the numerous
accolades and kind words being posted on-line about
John by his other friends and colleagues warms my
heart. There is nothing much more I can add that hasn't
been said or will be said about John. My last phone
call from John is illustrative of what kind a man
John was. I worked and collaborated with John for
several years while both of us served on the STAT
Board of Directors, directed various RWJF-funded tobacco/substance
abuse policy research projects, and on other local,
state, national and federal tobacco control activities.
After I dropped out of tobacco a few years ago due
to ill health, John and I kept in touch less and less
through letters and e-mails. Then about a year and
half ago out of the blue he tracked down my new phone
number and called me to voice his personal concern
over my poor health and deteriorating medical condition.
It was wonderful to hear from him and get caught up.
He said nothing about his medical condition, and instead
wished me a full and speedy recovery from my eleven
by-pass heart operation and two operations for compressed
fractures in five of my vertebrae. I knew nothing
about his poor health. John's effort to reach me and
express his concern over my health was typical of
him. As a prominent and nationally respected tobacco
control researcher and activist, he had always been
very kind and generous to me and my tobacco program
staff in embracing and supporting our work as local
yokel tobacco activists here in the sticks of rural,
out of the way Northern California. John was a good
friend and an inspiration to me, and I will think
about him a lot and what he meant to my staff and
me. Many other persons in tobacco control and nicotine
addiction fields will do the same. And remember his
ever-present bow tie. God bless you John Slade.
Rick Kropp
- Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 10:32:07 (EST)
I
met Dr. Slade at the STAT 95' conference when I first
became involved in tobacco control. He showed me that
there were indeed people speaking out and working
together in the movement, and he brought me great
inspiration. I will always remember him as a great
leader in the field.
Jennifer Holtz
- Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 10:29:37 (EST)
The
comments preceding my own not only speak to the fine
qualities of John, but also say a lot about the love
and support he helped to build within our commuity.
I had the honor to work with him in the arly days
of STAT and DOC, when health acitvists met together
to plan out our battles (like the Statue of Nicotina
taking satirical swipes at Philip Morris's Bill of
Rights Parade), and to give eachother strength to
continue to fight. I felt like I was attending a meeting
of the Legion of Super Heroes in those days. John
will always remain a giant within the public health
community.
Bob Jaffe
- Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 15:42:00 (EST)
"John
was a leader - and a nurturer of leadership in many
others; an innovator - and a celebrant of innovation
in others. He defied conventional wisdom: · "Tobacco
is not an addiction." He led the struggle to prove
that nicotine was, indeed, among our most addictive
drugs, licit or illicit. · "All tobacco products are
alike in the harm they cause." John opened new avenues
of exploration and opened our minds to new possibilities
in harm reduction. · "To talk to tobacco company product
developers is to lose your soul." : No one - no one
- had clearer vision of the villainy of the tobacco
companies, but John understood that there were useful
insights that tobacco control science could gain from
listening even to them. This openness - against the
anxious counsel of colleagues - allowed John to provide
the scientific underpinnings for the most ambitious
regulatory initiative ever taken to control tobacco
products, that of FDA Commissioner David Kessler in
the early 1990's. In his book, A Question of Intent;
A Great American Battle with a Deadly Industry, Kessler
wrote: >From his modest outpost at a New Jersey community
hospital, where he witnessed the toll taken by tobacco
on a daily basis, Slade became passionate about tobacco,
and the way in which the FDA might regulate it. Over
the years, he scoured the libraries and read everything
he could find about the history and public health
aspects of tobacco. He asked friends in banking and
advertising to funnel information about the industry
to him and he subscribed to trade journals...From
the beginning of our investigation, he sent us a steady
stream of information. "
Mike Pertschuk
- Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 11:58:13 (EST)
I
will always remember John for the tactful and yet
factual way in which he ended a discussion that he
was having with a member of Congress from one of the
tobacco states on the regressive nature of tobacco
taxes. John asked the Congressmen if he would care
to calculate the regressivity of cancer and heart
disease? We changed topics soon after that.
Prabhu Ponkshe
- Monday, February 18, 2002 at 13:58:05 (EST)
John
clearly stood tall and remained focused in his mission.
He led the way! He was a scholar and a scientist!
Philip Horowitz-Sunrise House Foundation
- Monday, February 18, 2002 at 08:43:43 (EST)
I
join with everyone else who knew John. There clearly
were no "facets" to John -- all of us who knew him,
slightly or well, describes the same person. Selfless,
gently ironic, soft-spoken and modest, brilliant,
unswerving, totally dedicated to fighting the industry,
an original thinker, and the nicest person you could
hope to meet. I've known John since the mid-'80's.
He wrote a couple of important articles for our Tobacco
Products Litigation Reporter debunking the industry's
"constitutional hypothesis" (that some factor X both
makes people smoke and gives them lung cancer!), and
continued as our Medical Editor until his death. He
combined a commitment to cutting edge advocacy while
being equally involved in cutting edge addiction science,
taking his turn as President of STAT and staying active
on its Board for many years, while also equally involved
with the American Society of Addiction Medicine and
the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.
As Nancy pointed out, his contributions to the FDA's
analysis were critical (David Kessler kept turning
to John for information or confirmation during the
televised hearings), and his focus on "trinkets and
trash" brought this crucial marketing device into
public view, leading to the provisions in state settlements
addressing and suppressing this practice. I will miss
him terribly. Dick Daynard
Dick Daynard
- Saturday, February 16, 2002 at 13:05:19 (EST)
Everlasting
memory . And long live to his wwwwwwork serving people's
health.
Natalia Alexeeva
- Wednesday, February 13, 2002 at 21:33:15 (EST)
I
will always remember John fondly, most especially
for his recognizing an entrenched opponent that acts
in a way that is fundamentally and morally wrong and
his fighting to change that reality. I felt a special
bond with John as I joined him at tobacco company
shareholder meetings to speak up for the health and
safety of those who could not speak for themselves
in that forum. I miss him. I will keep his family
in my prayers.
Ed Sweda
- Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 20:50:02 (EST)
I
have known John for over ten years now. I believe
we met at the first STAT conference.We talked and
exchanged ideas at meetings and occasionally over
the phone. Like many others , I noticed the quiet
demeanor first, then that twinkle in the eyes when
we talked about tobacco companies.It was great to
have an academic colleague that was a real tobacco
activist. Not one whose sole interest was only writing
research papers. I was deeply saddened when I heard
of his death , and more so when I heard the cause.
We have lost a true leader that obviously had a tremendous
impact on thousands of activists, researchers and
lay people around the world. The rest of us have a
large void to fill. I will miss him.
Joel Dunnington MD
- Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 11:34:48 (EST)
February
11, 2002 Dear John: We are all struggling to understand
but also struggling with the void your departure has
left in our lives. If only you had known how many
lives you touched and how sorely you will be missed,
maybe things would have turned out differently. You
were special in so many ways, to so many people--colleagues,
family, and patients alike--I wish you could understand
the effect that you have had on all of us. Even if
you were a little off of your prime, you were still
better than most of us. For those of us left behind,
we will never be the same. Careers have been built
with your encouragement and support. These careers
and the projects that you started will in part be
your legacy to the field of addiction medicine. You
made a mark that is etched in the memory of thousands,
and your efforts to help others will live on as far
as we can see. We would not want to make you bigger
in death than you were in life, but we don’t have
words which even begin to describe your impact on
your fellow human beings. Your self-sufficiency was
remarkable. You never asked for very much, but you
were always willing to give even when you knew it
would be difficult for you to do so. You had the highest
levels of integrity, honesty, loyalty, as well as
being a caring and compassionate physician. Though
you were soft-spoken, when you spoke, people listened.
You devotion to your wife and your family was legendary,
and you were a friend whom I could always call on
for help. You changed the field of addiction medicine
by your visionary leadership. Though you never sought
glory or accolades, they were there for you. You brought
people together, then created the synergy to move
the field of addiction medicine to accept tobacco
dependence into the mainstream. This is in part because
of your outstanding intellect, combined with an indefatigable
work ethic and the fact that you led by example. As
you know, Max Schneider often said that the smartest
thing he ever did as president of ASAM was to appoint
you to chair its Nicotine Dependence Committee. Your
kind, considerate, gentle, and soft-spoken way and
genuine interest in others made it possible for you
to lead all of us. I will miss you greatly as you
were my friend, my colleague, and my peer for whom
I had the greatest respect and held in the highest
esteem. I will personally miss not being able to talk
with you about our shared passion for this profession
but also about personal things such as family and
friends. I will miss your smile and the way you would
tip your head to the right, arch your left eyebrow,
and the gleam in your eye when you knew you had scored
a point or hit a homerun. I am relatively certain
that heaven is tobacco-free, but if for some reason
it isn’t, it likely will be by the time some of the
rest of us arrive. No doubt, John, you will take that
project on with the same vigor as you did on this
Earth and will make great strides to make life better
for you and all the other angels.
Richard D. Hurt, M.D.
- Monday, February 11, 2002 at 13:52:47 (EST)
Many
memories of John flooded back today as I sat with
the hundreds of other family members, friends, and
colleagues who mourned his loss. The first memory
that came to me was when we sat together in my living
room sharing our pain over conflictual family relationship
issues. I reminded him -as I so often have to remind
myself - that addiction battles are spiritual battles
as well - that the enemy loves to attack us where
we are most vulnerable. My next memory was of the
CO kit hiding under his pew seat in church that I
often asked to borrow for nicotine addiction training
in Russia, Romania, or Egypt. "One or two more lives
saved," I would share with him upon my return. Even
though he never could join me on one of these addiction
recovery mission training trips, I packed his educational
research,along with the CO meter, and his unseen encouraging
presence in my suitcase. My most painful memory was
visiting with him for a few brief minutes after his
stroke. My husband Jack, who had a stroke because
of his smoking twenty years ago, was with me and told
him, "John, you can recover, too." He attributes his
own success in quitting smoking after the stroke to
John's medical advice and guidance. Yet, the depression
that often follows a stroke kept John from hearing
Jack's encouraging words. John, we will carry on the
fight for health vs bondage to addiction - even to
the ends of the earth. Mary Theresa Webb, Director
of the GOAL Project, Princeton, NJ.
Terry Webb
- Saturday, February 09, 2002 at 19:32:23 (EST)
Today,
as the memorial service for John is being held, I
am reflecting again on John's life as I have repeatedly
since learning of his death. I hope I may be indulged
for posting a second note about John, but I feel the
need. One of my memories today is of the mischievous
look John often had in his eyes as he carried out
a quiet act of civil disobedience against the tobacco
industry; often a simple act, but one which reflected
the depth of his feelings and his knowledge that every
such act was a part of the overall campaign to end
the carnage caused by tobacco use. For example, it
was not uncommon to be standing in a hotel lobby at
a conference with John and see him silently drift
away from the group and over to a cigarette vending
machine, where he would discretely take something
out of his pocket and force it into the coin slot,
thereby jamming the machine. He would return to the
group, saying nothing, but, if you looked him in the
eyes and he was aware that you'd observed his actions,
you'd see that wonderful and knowing mischievousness.
In his brilliance and insights, John stood above us
all, but he also led us with his courage and humble
civil disobedience. He was, indeed, tobacco control's
Gandhi, with all the meaning that has, and he will
be missed, revered and followed just as Gandhi still
is. Jim Bergman, The Center for Tobacco-Free Older
Persons, The Center for Social Gerontology, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
Jim Bergman
- Saturday, February 09, 2002 at 16:57:32 (EST)
I
have had the great personal and professional privilege
of coming to know and work with John Slade over the
past two years, as we both served on the Tobacco Dependence
Treatment Advisory Committee to the N.J. Commissioner
of Health. With his worldwide reputation as the pre-eminent
scholar on tobacco addiction and treatment preceding
him, John was the acknowledged leader of the Committee.
He assumed that role with grace and style, leading
by example with his unparalleled expertise while actively
encouraging collaborative, interdisciplinary sharing
of ideas and initiatives. As I read the comments that
precede my own, I am becoming even more acutely aware
of just how much this great, yet gentle man, has meant
to patients, the world and his many friends and colleagues.
His untimely death challenges each of us to honor
his memory by carrying his work forward. I will miss
my colleague and friend with the signature bow tie,
gentle smile and shy wit enormously. My thoughts and
prayers go out to his wife Francis and his family.
Goodbye and Godspeed.
Mary Germain, College of Nursing, Downstate Medical
Center
- Friday, February 08, 2002 at 15:33:08 (EST)
How
fortunate I am to have known and worked with John
Slade for 15 years. He was committed and dedicated
to all our collaborations. Our most recent one: A
Conversation about Managing Tobacco Dependence will
be released shortly and sadly, posthumously. Good
bye dear friend and colleague.
Ronnie Davidson
- Friday, February 08, 2002 at 15:16:47 (EST)
As
per John's wishes, I am going to make a donation to
Francis' choral organization. However, I am going
to make a matching contribution to the National Alliance
for the Mentally Ill P.O. Box 79972 Baltimore, MD
21279-0972 (703) 524-7600 www.nami.org The reason
is that I believe that John's death was directly related
to his depression and that it was not a rational act
nor reflective of John's renowned rationale. It was,
unfortunately, brilliantly rationalized and, true
to John's ability, brilliantly creative in his ability
to arrange this while maintaining correspondence and
collaborations with apparently so many of us (I received
my last bit of guidance from him approximately 24
hours before his death). I am not sure that any of
us could have done anything, and that is reflective
of one of the many research challenges that NAMI and
NIMH continue to explore, namely, how do you keep
someone from stopping potential life saving treatment.
By this, I do not mean to imply that John had no responsibility
or reason for taking his life, but it offers a perspective
to recall one of the main side-effects which kept
the antipsychotic drug reserpine from being more widely
used - depression and suicide - the point here being
that depression is a disease which includes responses
such as suicide and that in one sense such a death
is no more voluntary than that from an MI in a person
with cardiovascular disease. NAMI and NIMH have helped
many to avoid John's course but we obviously have
a long way to go in this area of health. John was
a brilliant analyst, a beautiful person, and a wonderful
friend whom I miss so badly so constantly. I do not
believe that he ever would have "rationally" made
such a catastrophically wrong decision or deliberately
hurt so many, especially Francis. But, I do believe
in the power of depression to have set him on such
a course.
Jack Henningfield
- Friday, February 08, 2002 at 13:14:02 (EST)
Sometimes
you meet a person who leaves an indelible mark on
you - changing the way you think or approach a problem.
Dr. Slade was that kind of person. His presence is
one that I expect will stay with me for a long time.
I will miss his leadership and guidance. Ann Russell,
NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, Public
Health Practice Standards Committee
Ann Russell
- Friday, February 08, 2002 at 12:52:42 (EST)
I
come to this page with a still heavy heart. Like so
many of us, I have labored mightily this past week
to keep John alive and with us, through memories,
conversation, sharing stories and working to make
his countless contributions apparent and enriching
even to those who did not know him. What I have learned
is that I will always do this -- find ways to keep
John present so he can continue to inspire and enrich
my life and my work. There could be no more caring
friend than John, no more dedicated mentor, no wiser
tobacco control warrior, no more inspiring leader,
no deeper heart. His humanitarianism and clarity of
vision made him our moral touchstone. The mischief
in his eyes and the joy he took in his relationships
with each of us have been another gift. I mourn his
loss, I am grateful for the many ways in which he
has touched us all.
Tracy Orleans
- Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 19:53:55 (EST)
I
first met John years ago when he became a member of
the Public Health Council of NJ, at whch time I was
President. My only contact with him over the years
was at our monthly meetings. From the beginning he
always impressed me as being brilliant, very logical
in his thinking and verbal expression, humble, and
with leadership qualities. He understood not only
the field of public health thoroughly, but also how
to commandeer through the legislature necessary public
health needs. As we all know, he was an authority
on tobacco and nicotine addiction, and dedicated his
life's work to the elimination of this public health
problem. I will miss John very much as a colleague,
and The Public Health Council will miss him equally
as one of it's members.
Milton Prystowski, MD
- Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 14:28:42 (EST)
It
was 1991 and John contacted me regarding a new job
working with tobacco problems. I'd had lots of experience
in the addictions field but never dealing with tobacco.
John had a vision: People getting well from alcohol
and other drug addiction should be given an opportunity
to become free from tobacco dependence. Ironies and
hypocrisies were many as we proceeded. John called
it as he saw it. We had no takers among New Jersey's
addictions treatment providers. John was unwaivering
and resolute. I was enthusiastic and challenged. John
took me in--we both had an interest in advertising.
I'd been to one of his talks and had the utmost respect
for his style and that of Jean Kilbourne. I studied
and became vigilant. The tobacco industry had hooked
my mother in the 40's. John's approach was fresh.
Here was something to do that really would make a
difference. The days and months that followed were
nothing short of life-changing. John was generous
and empowering. He gave me many opportunities. I travelled
to study what had been done thus far in dealing with
tobacco in addictions. I met the pioneers in this
work: Geraldine Delaney, Terry Rustin, Richard Hurt,
Lori Karan, Abe Twerski, and others. John coached
me to present talks on the subject. I traveled to
Ontario and other U.S. states to spread the word.
John introduced me to tobacco control advocates and
he took me to shareholders meetings and to the world
tobacco or health conferences in Argentina and Paris
to learn the big picture. Meanwhile, a little project
was stirring the pot in New Jersey and the treatment
programs were all in a flurry. John was a great mentor.
He strengthened my resolve, gave me courage, made
me question, taught me to discuss the ironies, and
left me to develop into my own professional self.
John comforted me when my mother died of lung cancer
in 1993. While John was tougher than nails with the
adversaries in the tobacco industry, he had a gentle
touch when he helped patients deal with their own
tobacco addiction. John freely shared a new vocabulary.
He defined and refined. The Project that had been
just a vision became a state focus. When I left the
Addressing Tobacco Project in 1995, it was a small
but vital program just working on problems in the
addictions field. That all changed within the next
5 years. Another of John's visions was to create a
major tobacco dependence program for New Jersey. A
staff of six became a staff of more than twenty and
the program widened it's approach to dealing with
a broad range of problems caused by tobacco. When
I got the news of John's death a week ago, I wandered
back to the program offices, to comfort and be comforted.
My heart was and is heavy but I was heartened to behold
all of the people John touched and the wellspring
of good deeds that came from such a generous human
being. Yes, this is a great loss. I wish Frances and
the rest of John's loved ones Godspeed. May John's
life be a blessing to all who were part of his life.
Abby Hoffman
- Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 07:11:55 (EST)
John
and I worked together on the public health council.
On one occasion I commented to him that in the early
years his strong views about tobacco were not so widely
shared. I asked him how he managed the slings and
arrows that came his way. He answered me in a calm
and reasoned tone saying, with the following words;
"well Miriam, When you know you are right, you just
take the position and wait for the rest of the folks
to join you". Those of us who were privileged to know
him and to work with him will always remember him
as a man of integrity, honor and decency. He will
be sorely missed.
Miriam Cohen
- Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 19:52:34 (EST)
From
a young age, John Slade was one of the most distinguished,
and enthusiastic, members of the Medical Society of
New Jersey. In discussions about tobacco control policies,
and how to influence politicians and news media and
the public, John always applied one bedrock criterion:
What approach will produce the greatest reduction
in the numbers of kids and adults who suffer from
tobacco use.
Neil Weisfeld
- Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 16:27:06 (EST)
We
mourn with you over the loss of such a wonderful man.
I secretely considered John like a big brother. He
was wise, brilliant, generous, and caring. He loved
to see people grow, especially when growing someone
benefitted the public's health. We both looked at
tobacco through epidemiologic lenses. I loved it when
he called with a new idea or an analysis to suggest.
I always learned something from my interactions with
John. During the FDA process, I often called John
to sharpen my thoughts on addiction issues. He was
a rock of wisdom and strength. I pray that God gives
you all the strength you need at this time.
Gary Giovino
- Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 13:53:12 (EST)
"When
you are sorrowful look again in your heart and you
shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which
has been your delight." taken from The Prophet by
Khalil Gibran. It has been an honor to work with Dr.
Slade and he has left a legacy which we will work
hard to fulfill.
Amelia Khalil
- Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 13:17:08 (EST)
As
a NJ Legislative Services staffer, I served with Dr.
Slade on New Jersey's Synar Task Force back in
the mid-90's. I greatly regret his loss to the
prevention and treatment effort here. We're all
indebted to the work he's done in this State and
nationally over the years. Dan Ben-Asher
About
6 months ago, I emailed John Slade out of the blue,
asking him for direction with my career and with tobacco
prevention, as I am in my Preventive medicine residency
at Tulane. Without hesitating, even though he had
some trouble speaking, we began to have long phone
conversations about tobacco. He spent all the time
he could, up till the VERY end, teaching myself and
others about the destructive capabilities of tobacco.
From my conversations over the past few months, John
(as he forced me to start calling him!) showed me
what the definition of having a passion for something
really means. He got me on the right track, one which
I plan to stay on for a lifetime. It's really
not fair. He spent his life helping others extend
their lives. I hope we all can make his life's
work come together. Take care, John. David Damsker
Working
with Dr. Slade on the New Jersey Department of Health's
Public Health Council was always a challenge. He always
came prepared and advocated for cancer control related
issues. He once said "why are we funding rats
(he meant of Urban Rodent Control) when there are
cancer prevention programs that need the money".
He always reminded me of one of my Harvard professors
in his classic "bow ties". I will personally
miss him, but he will be missed even more by those
he championed for! Thanks for all you did to get the
Tobacco Settlement Funds to New Jersey! Without you,
we would not have funding for prostate and colorectal
cancers and additional funds for breast and cervical
cancers! Your friend and colleague, Doreleena Sammons-Posey
Project Director New Jersey Cancer Education and Early
Detection Program (NJCEED)
For
years, and I certainly would never tell anyone, I
was envious and in awe of John Slade's courage
and his basic integrity. Those traits aren't transferable
or awarded at some banquet or conference. Our field
is full of those come latelys who find a larger audience
and a better way to say what has already been said
and who seem to bask in their own importance until
another issue is happening. Measure an advocate not
by their splash into the limelight but by the fact
they were there when it wasn't fashionable and
when they were almost the only voice in the crowd.
Single issue, single focus, tells you today what they
said yesterday and will risk everything they have
for the cause. Many of us in the alcoholism and drug
abuse fields thought of John Slade as someone trying
to make a difference and in most instances he was
tolerated but when he went after mob owned cigarette
dispensing machines in Middlesex County NJ we feared
for his safety and in fact, his life. We were the
ones who were who were under John Slade's quiet
and yet forceful attack. He was everywhere. No one
could make a presentation on the public health consequences
of alcoholism, teach about addictions or safely attend
a conference without this strange and almost seductive
physician coming out of the audience to protest that
"smoking was a far greater public health problem
than all the other addictions combined." At that
time there were limited non-smoking areas on planes;
no smoke free restaurants; smoking at your desk was
just fine; psychiatric and treatment centers allowed
smoking to ease the pains of therapy and I personally
had convinced a Seventh Day Adventist Hospital that
the four bed detox unit had to allow smoking because
the patients couldn't withdraw from two addictions
at the same time. Besides the counselors needed a
place to smoke. John Slade was swimming upstream,
he was spitting into the wind and even when he began
to present data on smoking and the consequences we
simply ignored the data. We had work to accomplish
and John Slade was blurring the facts. Could we ever
clone another with the bow-tie and the quiet but powerful
advocacy. Eventually if someone really believes in
the validity of their cause it pulls others to listen,
to feel the energy and excitement and to join. John
Slade got us all hooked on his work, his love and
passion. Just tell us what you want and we will do
it. You can't be an advocate at the national level
until you can make a difference in your own home town.
NJ was John's home town. What a day it was when,
with John and Geraldine O Delaney
(an advocate long before any of us)
in the lead, we became the first state to make
our entire rehab system smoke free. Now John had us
doing things that weren't yet fashionable. John's
death is something I will never fully understand but
then I am only mortal. The news hit me harder than
I could have ever predicted. I was fortunate to see
and be with John in Atlanta this past September and
had only seen him briefly two times since I left NJ.
John and I worked together from the early 80's,
we taught together and at times compared notes about
where the field of addictions should go. John became
a giant in his own way and made such a difference
that he will be remembered in ways that we might only
imagine. Passion. Persistence. Know you are right.
Don't waste time with the enemy. Know the facts.
Leadership? John Slade was the definition of a leader.
I still can't believe he is gone. My heart goes
out to the family and to Francis my deepest and best
possible prayers for your recovery from this untimely
event. Let go Let God. This
too shall pass. Riley R Greentown IN
I
met John in Buenos Aires in April, 1992. I was profoundly
and instantaneously impressed by his extreme generosity.
I had not even met him for 15 minutes, and he was
already giving me an entire set of tapes and slides
so that I could, as he said, "spread the word".
I will always remember him. Gracias por el ejemplo,
John. Elmer E. Huerta
John
was as generous a person as I've ever met - generous
with his time, his energy, his expertise, his passion
and his good humor. He brought a unique insight to
every issue; he saw things from angles most of us
never considered. But even though he was always several
steps ahead of the rest of us, he never acted like
it. John always acted like he had as much to learn
from me as I did from him - even though that was quite
clearly never the case. That was just his manner with
everyone. I believe that when Joe Tye was first organizing
STAT, he called John for advice. John responded by
asking if he could be the first paying member. I can't
think of a better example of the way he mentored new
people and new ideas. What a great, great guy he was.
I really miss him. -Phil Wilbur
My
memories of John:
As a mid-level addiction services bureaucrat at the
NJ State Department of Health I had occasion to meet
John in presenting proposals to the Public Health
Council. John participated with perspicacious critique.
At decision-making time he offered eloquent support
of proposed projects. I learned to be grateful to
know he would be there participating usefully and
fully.
Later on, in the 1989-90 era, I had an opportunity
to write the Healthy New Jersey 2000 and state health
plan addiction chapters. I was inclined to think that
smoking was an addiction like that to alcohol and
drugs but this was not a popular view at that time.
John began to educate me. With the approval of the
Office of the Commissioner I began to write as if
alcohol and drug programs should screen and refer
for nicotine addiction just as primary care settings
should screen and offer motivational counseling for
alcohol, tobacco and drug risk and dependence.
John was my mentor for how to word these radical ideas
in such a way that they were strong and accurate.
I was stunned by how fast and detailed were his responses
as we made our way through numerous critical review
processes. Although the state health plan document
was overturned by the courts because it recommended
closing hospitals, the long term care and addiction
chapters were widely cited as visionary templates
for planning in these areas.
I was teaching the alcohol, tobacco and drug policy
course at Rutgers School of Social Work and decided
to teach from his book Nicotine Addiction.
Students felt “the scales fall from their eyes” as
they learned the mechanisms of nicotine addiction.
This work was prodigious. I was encouraging him (and
co-author Tracy Orleans) to write a second edition.
The Governor wanted research on raising the tobacco
tax. Our office prepared several policy papers. John
put us in touch with Andy Maguire, David Sweanor,
Ken Warner and Frank Chaloupka who helped develop
a model using New Jersey population statistics to
predict how many New Jersey youngsters would not start
or would stop smoking at each potential percentage
point of tax increase. Although this did not pass
at once, we identified opponents and their objections
and began to incrementally educate and “wear down”
their resistance. Also, the advocacy community was
mobilized. So, the next time it came up, it did pass.
John created the first training and technical assistance
outreach unit to help the alcohol and drug providers
and advocates to overcome their resistance and do
the right thing by addressing tobacco. His people
and publications were so widely respected and used
that he defused opposition to a licensing requirement
that all health care facilities – not just hospitals
– become smoke-free.
John created the first summer school of alcohol
studies tobacco seminars, lectures and classes. He
taught them and mentored others to teach them.
After I retired from the State I became an assistant
professor and John recruited me to come to the new
School of Public Health at UMDNJ to help to run an
exciting new program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation for the purpose of giving awards for outstanding
contributions to the fields of alcohol, tobacco and
illegal drug problems. He was very excited about the
potential for increasing the visibility and credibility
of the field and its heroes and heroines.
He loved reading nominations for innovators awards
and applications for fellowships. Meeting finalists
was also an honor and a joy. He was reachable at all
times for the work. He was proud of everyone’s work
while at the same time maintaining exacting and high
standards. He wanted continuous quality improvement
before the term had been coined.
John was a gentle man who was thoughtful of staff
birthdays and other personal milestones. He found
the right remark or bit of advice for the occasion.
He offered nuggets of personal self-disclosure but
always pertinent to the occasion and never in a way
that found fault or gave offense. He was beloved by
all who knew and worked with him.
One of the things we wanted to do was to create a
course or a series of courses at the graduate level
in addiction medicine, science and policy. We were
going to supplement the Rutgers Center on Alcohol
series by covering a different set of topics and substances.
We had already talked about who would teach what parts
and some of the core readings.
Another dream we had was a Center for Tobacco Studies
with museum style display of the trinkets and trash
memorabilia. Students would write grants for course
credit and conduct projects and research in the “all-addiction-model”
to help overcome the artificial barriers between substances
and areas of practice. Policy activism would be a
core competency.
I cannot believe that we are without him yet. Nonetheless,
I know that he lives on in his work and in all the
people he touched and influenced. His quiet personal
dignity and “over-the-top” commitment to his work
are inspirational for all who come next.
Nancy L. Fiorentino Deputy Director Innovators Program
This
is the saddest news for all of us who were privileged
to have worked with John. But in this saddest of moments,
I think we can be comforted in the legacy that he
leaves behind, the pioneering work he did for the
field, and the tenacious spirit that resulted in so
many victories on behalf of those who suffer from
addiction. I learned a great deal from John, and it
was a gift to have known and worked with him for almost
15 years. I will miss him. Marilyn Aguirre-Molina
John
Slade was a leader in the global tobacco control movement
for as long as I can remember. He provided a quiet
intensity and intellect that few matched.
Over the years I always respected John’s work, but
did not work closely with him because we concentrated
on different aspects of the tobacco epidemic: he concentrated
on nicotine pharmacology, cessation, and tobacco promotion
while I worked on nonsmokers rights and clean indoor
air.
Our interests converged on May 12, 1994, when I received
the now-famous “Mr. Butts Box” of then-secret tobacco
industry documents from Brown and Williamson. As I
reviewed the documents, it rapidly became obvious
that they warranted a careful analysis by experts
in tobacco control. Many of these documents dealt
with nicotine addiction. It was also obvious that
I did not have the depth of knowledge that was required
to analyze these documents.
The first name that came to mind was John Slade. John
not only had the scientific knowledge that was required,
but also was steeped in the policy implications of
this knowledge.
Despite the fact that he was already overcommitted,
John made the time it took to wade through, organize,
and analyze thousands of pages of industry documents.
John not only took the lead on analyzing the documents
on nicotine addiction, but also the health effects
of smoking and issues surrounding use of additives
in cigarettes.
In addition to this major effort, John participated
actively in the team that analyzed all the documents.
He offered careful and insightful criticism of everyone
else’s work and took others’ criticism of his work
to heart.
In an unusual reversal of roles, I found myself toning
down some of John’s conclusions. It seemed that every
section of his analysis of the nicotine addiction
documents ended “... and that’s why the FDA should
be given jurisdiction to regulate nicotine and tobacco
products.”
The result of this work was an unprecedented series
of 5 papers in JAMA (July 19, 1995), followed by the
book The Cigarette Papers. This work has had
major impact on public policy and litigation worldwide.
There is no question that John’s work was central
to this impact.
John also directly impacted my life (and many others)
through his leadership of the RWJ Innovators’ Award.
When nominated, I did not believe that RWJ would actually
be willing to support my work. John convinced me to
try.
The result was my SmokeFreeMovies advocacy project,
which is designed to end the use of American movies
as powerful tobacco promotional devices. If this project
succeeds, it will have a huge positive impact on smoking,
particularly among children and, probably, young adults.
Any success will reflect John’s quiet commitment to
tobacco control as much or more than anything I do.
It was John, after all, who created the opportunity.
That is the true mark of a leader.
Stanton A. Glantz
My
thoughts and prayers are with the family. Nellie Sagastume
UMDNJ - School of Public Health Tobacco Surveillance
and Evaluation Program 335 George St., Suite 2200
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
A
visionary thinker, a sincere and effective advocate,
a great educator, a kind man with a warm smile and
powerful intellect, Dr. John Slade enriched humanity
with his life and work. His legacy will live on in
each life that is saved from the destruciton of tobacco
addiction as well as the gentle memories we all have.
It was a privilege for me and the staff and board
of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies,
Inc. to know Dr. Slade and to work with him. We send
our deepest sympathies and friendship to his family,
staff and friends at this sad time. Debra L. Wentz,
New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies,
Inc.
?To:
Frances Slade and Family On behalf of the Non-Smokers’
Rights Association in Canada, I wish to send our deep
sympathy to you and to your family on the occasion
of John’s death. Like so many others, I have
been reading the moving tributes of John’s many
friends and colleagues. We too acknowledge John’s
outstanding scholarship, warmth, compassion, leadership
and commitment. John was a gentleman and a gentle
man. He was also a giant in tobacco control. Our Association,
indeed all in tobacco control in Canada, will miss
him enormously. Our best wishes to you Frances and
to all in your family. We wish you well at a difficult
time. Garfield Mahood Executive Director Non-Smokers’
Rights Association 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 221 Toronto,
Ontario Canada M5S 2T9 email: gmahood@nsra-adnf.ca
My
memories of John Slade are of someone who trielessly
worked to help free people from tobacco addiction.
John is probably the most important mentor that I
have ever had. He contacted me in 1993 after reading
something I had written abut treating tobacco dependence
in teens in drug treatment and asked if he could visit
the program where I worked. He did visit, and inspired
all of us to work toward a tobacco-free program which
we have since established. We worked on several projects
together and he encouraged me to write up some work
that I had done with Sue Roberts and Nancy Deeschemaker
for publication, which we did spurred on by him. It
was his work at addressing tobacco in New Jersey that
inspired the Alameda County AtOD provider Network
that I direct which has followed his lead in promoting
tobacco-free drug and mental health treatment. I was
always struck at how John's interest in my work inspired
me to learn more about tobacco and drug treatment
and served as the underpining for the tobacco work
I have done during the past 10 years. I feel a tremendous
sense of loss that he will not be there to run things
by or get input from in the future but I know that
he has changed the face of tobacco treatment and that
he has many followers who will dedicate our continued
work to his memory as I will.Cathy McDonald, Project
Director, Alameda County ATOD provider network.
John
Slade was not only a brilliant researcher and devoted
advocate for public health and tobacco control, he
was also one of the most kind, friendly, encouraging
persons I knew. Not one to let his ego interfere with
work or friendship, John was one of the persons who
inspired us, leading by example and taking part in
so many facets of our movement. He nearly single-handedly
brought tobacco control to the fore at the American
Society for Addiction Medicine, for example; was a
key consultant to the FDA on nicotine and addiction;
and through STAT (Stop Teenage Addiction to Tobacco)
worked on many issues that helped us think about the
“pediatric disease” of tobacco use. His
collaboration with Stan Glantz on the Brown and Williamson
papers is a classic, monumental work. It's a loss
for tobacco control and health, and for many of us,
a very personal tragedy. We will miss him greatly.
Tom Houston American Medical Association Co-Director,
SmokeLess States
My
condolences to John's family for their loss. John
was the David against the Goliath of the tobacco industry
and a good fellow. He was one of the most dedicated
physicians I have ever known and his good work and
kind demeanor will be missed but always remembered.
John Brick, Ph.D., MA Fellow, American Psychological
Association Director, Intoxikon International Research
I
shall always owe Dr. Slade a debt of gratitude for
introducing me to the complex maze that is the tobacco
industry. I was happy to have had the opportunity
to be trained by him through the Center of Alochol
Studies workshops. I considered Dr. Slade the tobacco
"guru" in New Jersey. I will greatly miss
his presence and his expertise. With Deepest Sympathies,
Richard L. Powell
Like
so many others, I wish that I had known John better.
In the brief time during which we became acquainted
at UMDNJ, I was surprised that such contradictory
qualities (kindness , compassion, sensitivity, insight,
justice-seeking, and a gentle spirit as well as brilliance,
political will, star-power, and nothing short of true
heroism) co-existed so comfortably in one person.
If one can measure the impact of the man by the number
of documents in the tobacco industry archives that
mention him, than John kicked the tobacco industry's
collective butt: Philip Morris: "slade, j"
- 414,720 docs RJ Reynolds: "slade j" -
286 docs Brown & Williamson: "slade, j"
- 29 docs American Tobacco - "slade, j"
- 40 Lorillard: "slade, j" - 135,147 Tobacco
Institute: "slade, j" - 35,019 Council for
Tobacco Research: "slade j" - 13 Tattered
file folders, articles, letters, testimony ... you
name it, and you'll find John's name on it in the
Tobacco Archives. We should all cause the Tobacco
Industry such grief! Wendy Ritch
John
was an effective and wise leader in tobacco control,
and a beloved colleague. I will be one of countless
others who will deeply mourn his passing. His loss
will be difficult to replace. I extend my heartfelt
condolences to Frances. Dr. Lirio S. Covey, Ph.D.
Director, Smoking Cessation Research Program Columbia
Presbyterian Medical Center 1051 Riverside Drive,
New York, NY 10032 Tel: 212-543-5736 FAX: 212-543-6825
John
was a tireless worker for the prevention and treatment
of tobacco abuse. I will remember him from many conferences
with his passionate and consistent opinions, backed
by years of work and research. He also had a great
sense of humor. He was a rare man who could use humor
to enhance his message on such a serious topic. We
will miss him. Anthony Dekker, DO, FAOAAM, FASAM,
FSAM
How
deeply saddened we were to hear of John's death. John
Slade and Addressing Tobacco provided a clear and
practical model for addressing tobacco in programs
for substance abusers and those suffering from mental
illness. His work was the inspiration and the model
for the ATOD NETWORK here in Oakland, CA, which, when
started in 1998 became the first project funded by
Prop. 99 that addressed tobacco among this population
in CA. In March 1999, John was the Keynote Speaker
and major presenter for a sold-out conference we conducted
along with the CA Society of Addiction Medicine on
Addressing Tobacco in Drug Treatment. He was wonderful
to work with, an engaging speaker, humble and compassionate.
His leadership and knowledge of addiction medicine,
particularly tobacco, and his commitment to changing
the way we view and treat nicotine addiction provided
a beacon for all of us working in this field. He will
be sorely missed, but his legacy is legion. We will
carry the torch forward in his memory. May God Bless
his Spirit. ATOD NETWORK located at Thunder Road,
Oakland, CA Cathy McDonald, MD, MPH, Project Director
Judy Gerard, Project Coordinator Debbi Britton, Project
Assistant.
I've
just read the disturbing news of John's passing in
the Memoriam from Stan Glantz. My memories of association
with John are very meaningful, and I shall treasure
the "trash" that he shared with me, classic
pieces of "Premier" and "Eclipse".
John and I corresponded infrequently for over a decade,
and met on the occasions of global conference. During
the early 90's the Adventist Church Headquarters in
Silver Springs, MD invited John to speak to a group
of health leaders, and together we were seeking to
update the Church participation in advocacy and tobacco
control, not only in the cessation field, for which
its work and history was well known. His great contribution
from my perspective was the series of articles that
informed us of the technology the cigarette had actually
undergone, through the manipulation of tobacco company
laboratories. Dr Brundtland could scarcely have made
her Berlin and New Delhi comments on the properties
of the cigarette without John. It summarised his work:
"Nicotine is addictive. A cigarette is not just
tobacco rolled into a strip of paper. It is a highly
engineered product. The tobacco industry has studied
our saliva and central nervous systems to determine
the right dose of nicotine to deliver so that addiction
occurs and is sustained." I feel that this epitomised
his visionary leadership. Of course he was acutely
interested in menthol and the reasons for its wide
use in cigarettes, and this will be a field of study
that continues for sometime. We last met in Chicago
in 2000, and chatted together in San Diego in 1999
at the Behavioural Medicine Conference. I shall miss
his warmth and genial presence. John was a dapper
gentleman. His choices were exemplified in the flair
of a bright "bow tie", his Lennon-like glasses,
his warm but considered smile. From such a distance
I send my warm thoughts and greetings. I have lost
a friend, a colleague, and I hope that in the sharing
there is a sense of compassion for what the family
is experiencing. With warm regards and sincere sympathy
Dr Harley Stanton Scientist - Tobacco Free Initiative
World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional
Office P.O. Box 2932 (U.N. Avenue) 1000 Manila Philippines
Tel: + 632 528 9894 Fax: + 632 521 1036 Email: stantonh@wpro.who.int
John
could inspire inner peace and a commitment to taking
action simultaneously. He could affirm you and remain
humble in the same breath. I always marveled at his
ability to see an issue clearly and remain committed
to doing something about it until he got what he wanted.
I have known John for over 10 years as a Board member
of the Marin Institute and as the head of the Developing
Leader and Innovators Program, he accomplished so
much for so many in both roles. I will miss him in
many ways. Michael Sparks, Project Director Vallejo
Fighting Back Partnership.
The
passing of John Slade will mean that one of the giants
of Addiction Medicine will no longer be leading the
fight against one of the most deadly diseases in the
world. John will be missed by his many friends and
colleagues both in and out of Addiction Medicine.
Those of us in the American Society of Addiction Medicine
have lost not only a friend but an inspirational leader.
His work demonstrated that a dedicated physician can
make major progress against an industry that sells
addiction and death - an industry that only a few
years ago looked to be bulletproof. It was a privilege
to know John. I hope that those that were trained
by him will carry on the work that he so successfully
led. James W. Smith M.D. FASAM
To
the near and dear that are grieving Dr John Slade
John was an unusual person. If those of us that met
him at meetings and conferences are deeply touched
and moved by his passing away how should it not be
for those who were close to this exceptional man.
May you take some comfort from that fact that he at
least did not live in vain. He contributed more to
peoples, particularly smokers, health than most of
us can dream of contributing. He was a member of many
associations and contributed so much to their work.
The European branch of the Society for Research on
Nicotine and Tobacco wants to express its sincere
participation in the grief after Dr John Slade. May
his memory live long and guide us all. Karl Fagerstrom
Helsingborg, Sweden
I
got to know John Slade as a reporter and writer beginning
in the mid-nineties. I turned to John as an expert
on nicotine, but I was soon re-educated as to his
reach, which was comprehensive. He knew just about
everything worth knowing about the tobacco industry's
history and about the whole political and social framework
of cigarette smoking. But what impressed me most when
I visited him for the first time in late 1994 was
his compassion for smokers as addicted people. He
had more to say on that score than I'd ever heard,
and it was so powerful, because it was backed up by
such a formidable scientific knowledge. Later, when
I researched and wrote my book on the "tobacco
wars," John served as my primary touchstone and
fact-checker for numerous details on addiction and
on how nicotine works in the body. He was supportive
of the project, but he did not suffer fools gladly
- - he wanted the science to be right and this layman
had to pay close attention, or a very quick series
of 'No, no, no's' would come firing out of the telephone
receiver. Thank God he was there, just up the road
in central New Jersey. I don't know what I would have
done without his steady hand. The thing about John
Slade is that the country is poorer in ways it will
probably never know, because he was a quiet force
in tobacco control. He didn't play the media. You
came to John and he helped you and he didn't ask for
anything in return except that you get it right. Thanks
to John Slade, many of us who worked on the tobacco
story were able to get it right - - and millions of
Americans have a better understanding and a better
chance at not being enslaved to this terrible addiction
as a result. Rest in peace, John. - - Dan Zegart,
writer, author of CIVIL WARRIORS: THE LEGAL SIEGE
ON THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY.
This
collection of thoughts and remembrances shows just
how deeply John touched our lives. It was his decency
and humanity that I think made the greatest impression
on those who were privileged enough to have known
John. There was no more powerful yet eloquent and
soft-spoken voice in tobacco control than John's.
We have lost a leader whose personal qualities we
find in short supply today. The pain I am feeling
is because of the loss of John the human being...a
decent, caring, and honorable person. We should all
try to live our lives by his example. Mitch Zeller
"We
are known by the tracks we leave behind" ~ Dakota
Proverb John Slade, M.D., was a healer, a medicine
man, a person whose belief in God led him to do God's
work on earth. His skills in addiction medicine were
awesome. His knowledge of what the tobacco industry
had done -- where, when and how -- was amazing. His
vision for the future was inspiring. And those bow-ties
were absolutely adorable! John was one of the first
people that I met in tobacco prevention control; he
was giving a presentation at the Fox Chase Cancer
Center back around 1990 and I recall being quite impressed.
While I didn't see him all that often as the years
passed, I knew he was just a phone call away. And
whenever we crossed paths at conferences or meetings,
it was always a joy. I believe that John's legacy
is that in that future day when tobacco no longer
kills, he will be remembered as one who helped show
the way and clear the path. My prayers go out to his
wife and loved ones. Thank you for sharing him with
us all these years. Charyn Sutton
The
tobacco control effort has lost a great advocate and
staunch supporter. We in New Jersey have lost an educator,
role model and friend. John's leadership within the
public health community will be missed. I am fortunate
to have known John for much of the time he worked
in New Jersey and benefited by his insight and knowledge.
I admired his courage and ability to speak out so
clearly on what he believed. Leah Z. Ziskin UMDNJ-School
of Public Health
When
I read the news about John I was deeply saddened.
I have spent days pondering his enormous influence
on the tobacco control movement as a whole as well
as his personal impact on all the individuals who
had the privilege to meet him. I first met John at
a STAT conference in the early 90s. From then on at
any conference or meeting at which he was speaking
or running a workshop I would make a beeline to hear
him. He was a guru, an inspiration, a fount of knowledge.
He couldn't be pigeon-holed. He had so much to offer
on all aspects of tobacco control. His approach to
helping smokers quit was one that embraced and learned
from all addictions. His 'trinkets and trash' collection
and how he used these to attack the industry was awesome.
His quiet manner, the ever present bow tie, looking
more like the stereotype English professor than an
American. He was always thoughtful, helpful and a
real teacher. John's work made me know I want to stay
and fight in tobacco control. I feel a personal and
a professional loss at the news. May he rest in peace
and continue to inspire us to work on in his memory.
Cecilia Farren GASP Smoke Free Solutions UK
I
remember John well because of his bright enthusiasm
and intellect. He was our field officer in New Jersey's
office of epidemiology from 1977 to 1980, doing both
acute and chronic disease investigations. His local
supervisor was Ron Altman, state epidemiologist, and
I was his Atlanta supervisor. He must have averaged
two investigations a month during his first two years,
and about one a month during his chronic disease preventive
medicine residency. We had hoped to make a career
epidemiologist out of him, but his drive to serve
locally as a counter-weight to tobacco addiction in
New Jersey was overwhelming. And he served ably there
for years, teaching, preaching and arguing for better
tobacco control there and nationally. He was an early
giant in the field and will be sorely missed by all
of us. "Uncle" Lyle Conrad Atlanta
I
received this sad news while traveling in London,
and today will try and find a quiet and inspirational
place to spend some time reflecting on John's life
and contribution. I first met him when he and Greg
Connolly opportunistically "crashed" a meeting
I had convened in Penang of SE Asian regional activists
in 1985. They were in the region on related work,
and asked if they could drop by. I'd never heard of
John, but oh how that would change! Any list of the
most effective, dedicated and savvy tobacco control
researchers and activists would have John in the front
line. He was just brilliant. Over the years he has
provided so many people with his counsel and patient
tours of his storehouse of information. As others
have said too, he was a lovable, self-effacing and
warm hearted guy. We are all diminished by his loss.
My deep sympathies to his family and loved ones. Simon
Chapman Editor, Tobacco Control
John--I
am indebted to you for many incredible experiences...the
early days when we wondered how nicotine was similar
and different than other drugs....the formation of
the ASAM Committee on Nicotine Dependence....putting
forth stockholder's proposals at the Phillip Morris
annual stockholders meetings, pioneering the treatment
of nicotine dependency in chemical dependency units,
meeting the inventor of Favor a year after you convinced
the FDA that his drug delivery device should not be
permitted, and collecting "Death Cigarettes"
during a conference in Seattle. You had an incredible
impact upon my life and you will always be one of
my heroes--Lori Karan (Stanford)
In
celebration of John Slade’s life I’d like
to share this memory I enjoy from the first time I
met him. As a 2000 Fellow in the Developing Leadership
to Reduce Substance Abuse Program, one of the first
personal development tools I experienced was the Myers
Briggs Preferences Survey. Our class was lining up
on an imaginary “scale” by standing in relation
to one another based on our scores for Extrovert or
Introvert. While most of my partners lined up near
the middle of our “scale” I found myself
at the very edge of the room next to a wall on the
Extrovert side. I remember laughing and making a joke
about needing to knock down the wall to really be
in the right place while inside I was feeling quite
unnerved by my obviously high “E” number.
Later that day I sensed John standing next to me.
Turning toward him I heard him quietly say “Sometimes
knocking down walls is what it takes to implement
change.” He paused and then, with his eyes locked
into mine, he said “We are very pleased to have
you in the Program.” As I thanked him I reached
for his hand and gave it a squeeze. He was just so
cute with that bow tie. To honor John, I reaffirm
my commitment to substance abuse prevention, to serve
my fellow humankind, and to knock down as many walls
as it takes to make a difference. Peace to all. Linda
Thompson, Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council’s
Prevention Center, Spokane, Washington
John
Slade was a great guy and great researcher. Even more
than his seminal work in nicotine addiction and cessation,
I'll remember John for the joy he brought to the battle.
He was a true warrior in the fight for public health
and we will all miss him. Russell Sciandra Albany,
Ny
A
man with a bow tie and a mustache, A quiet, unassuming
man. a gentle warm, and caring man. A man with compassion
for his fellow persons especially for those addicted
to the use of tobacco products and a passion for their
care. A man who cared that others be spared the years
of painful addiction. John, it is a pleasure to know
you, to have learned from your expertise, to consider
you a mentor. Your death is a tragic loss, your memory
an inspiration to continue your work. God Bless and
welcome you home. Gene Errickson,Tobacco Dependence
Treatment Program, Meridian Health Systems.
John
did more than anyone I know to change the world--and
yet, all that is nothing compared to who he was as
a person. He was simply the finest person I have ever
known and had the privilege to work with. Nancy Kaufman,
RWJF
John
and I first met in 1983, and we worked together to
develop an addictions consultation and treatment service
here in New Brunswick. We saw patients, did teaching
rounds together, conducted research, and became friends.
Our paths and interests slowly diverged, but we were
always in touch. He was what so many others have said
- a warm and gentle man, a visionary, a teacher and
scholar, an activist. He also was a superb physician,
communicating the same warmth and compassion to his
patients that we all experienced as his friends as
colleagues, while at the same time being a skilled
diagnostician and clinician. I miss him and cannot
imagine the world being quite the same place without
him. My deepest sympathies go out to Frances and the
rest of his family. Barbara McCrady, Center of Alcohol
Studies, Rutgers University.
I
have known Dr. Slade professionally for more than
20 yrs and must say that I was 'privileged' to have
been able to work with him on a few projects. He was
thoughtful, articulate, knowledgeable and most all
caring and compassionate. I was very pleased when
he accepted the chair of our Public Health Practice
Standards Committee which seeks to strengthen New
Jersey's public health system. He will be sorely missed
as a champion and spokesman for public health both
in New Jersey and nationally. Cliff Freund NJ Department
of Health & Senior Services
Having
come onboard to the Tobacco Dependence program only
eight months ago, I was privileged to have met and
been instructed by Dr. John Slade. So many were in
awe of this man, not the least of which was his staff.
I wish I had more opportunity to have learned from
this accomplished scholar, but I will count myself
lucky that I had the privilege to meet him at all.
I send my sincere condolences to his wife and his
family. Donna Drummond, UMDNJ, Trenton
It
is hard to know the words to capture such a unique
man as JD Slade. Many have done so here already: intelligent,
gentle, passionate, proper, patient, fair, honest,
hard working, extraordinary, and respectful to only
begin the list. What I was always so struck by with
John (aside from his daily bow tie attire), was his
interest in bringing others into his world - and he
did so in such a humble and understated way- never
being interested in the limelight or credit. I know
I am not alone in the belief that I would not be where
I am today professionally, if John had not opened
so many doors and made so many introductions for me.
My promise to him is to keep walking through, to explore
the unexplored, and to show others through the doors
that John ushered me through. May we all be blessed
by wonderful memories of time spent together. -Raychel
Kubby Adler, California Department of Health, Tobacco
Control Section
Although
I only knew John professionally and personally a relatively
short time, I was in awe of his knowledge, dedication,
and passion for tobacco control. As a 2000 fellow
in the RWJ Developing Leadership in Reducing Substance
Abuse Program, I was so fortunate to have John for
a "coach." Along with several other fellows,
I had the good fortune to spend a weekend last June
at his cabin in Northern Georgia. I knew when John
broke out the giant squirt guns at the lake that this
was going to be much more than traditional mentoring.
John truly loved tobacco control, but more importantly
he took a sincere interest in mentoring those of us
who are growing into the field. I already miss his
readiness and willingness to nurture me. Tobacco control
has lost one of its most experienced warriors. Humanity
has lost a giving, caring, devoted friend and colleague.--Ellen
Hahn, University of Kentucky College of Nursing
I
am very saddened to learn about Dr. Slade's death.
I am privileged to have known Mr. Slade through the
Developing Leadership in Reducing Substance Abuse
Fellowship program. I just hope that we can continue
working to make a reality Mr. Slade's dream to combat
substance abuse. My condolences and thoughts go to
his loves ones. Dalimarie Perez - Arzuaga Developing
Leadership in Reducing Substance Abuse Fellow.
I
first met John when I was a psychiatry resident at
an addiction meeting in El Paso, Texas back in the
late 80's where he was an invited speaker. I remember
being so energized and enthused by his energy and
enthusiasm. He was truly interested in what I had
to say and I was always so impressed that when ever
I saw him again at meetings - he remembered me and
was so gracious and supportive of me and my work.
I came to see him as a true mentor, a kind and generous
man who sincerely cared about other people. I am very
saddened by his death and will truly miss him. Hopefully
we will be able to continue to follow in his foot
steps. Thank you John for all you have done for us!
Libby Stuyt, Circle Program, Pueblo, Colorado
John
We will miss you tremendously. I will never forget
your contribution to the Emory School of Public Health
Tobacco course that I taught in the early 90's. The
students adored you, and I smiled when you brought
your parents to class...our thoughts and prayers are
with you and Frances. jas ahluwalia and colleagues
at the University of Kansas.
I
am very sorry to hear of John's death. I did not know
he was ill. I met John at the ASAM meeting in Toronto
a few years ago and loved the work he had created
- The Show of Hands. With his approval and encouragement
this has been done all over the State of Minnesota
in schools, corporate offices and in ballrooms during
statewide meetings. The banners have also traveled
to our state capitol promoting public health. I appreciated
his addressing addiction newsletters too. It seemed
John was never too important or busy to talk. You
have my deepest sympathy. Pamela Werb
John
was a respected and valued colleague and friend, with
whom I worked closely in years past. His loss is a
devastating blow to UMDNJ, to the local healthcare
community and the to the cause of tobacco control
that he so effectively championed. My thoughts are
very much with his widow, Frances, his parents, his
family, and his many friends and associates. - Jim
Langenbucher, Rutgers University Center of Alcohol
Studies
I
write with tears in my eyes and a smile on my lips
as I think about John having just heard about his
death. I worked at the Interfaith Center On Corporate
Responsibility for 30 years and John was one of our
key advisors as we challenged the tobacco industry
using the tool of shareholder resolutions . John and
I attended a number of stockholder meetings together
where he spoke eloquently and persuasively,"speaking
truth to power", to those who profited from the
incredible plague caused by the tobacco industry.
John's passion inspired while his sense of irony made
you chuckle. May we all be inspired in this time of
sadness to continue John's mission for health and
against the tobacco industry. Tim Smith, former Executive
Director , ICCR
John
was an honest man of high intelligence, gentle wit,
and amazing patience in the service of his goals.
His work was important. His life was important. All
our professional efforts will be the poorer for the
loss of him. I am poorer for the loss of him. ---Lynn
Kozlowski, Penn State
John
Slade had a unique timelessness about him. His impressive
scholarship and early 20th Century good manners were
combined with extraordinary and uncanny vision. He
could use an overhead projector and captivate an audience
that expected animated powerpoint. I like to think
that of John with Jules Verne and Merlin who lived
in the past, present, and future. John's spirit, energy,
and imprint will live forever. With my greatest respect
and admiration, Neil Grunberg (Uniformed Services
University)
I
will always remember my first interaction with Dr.
Slade. He visited my poster at SRNT (my very first
ever). I was a still an MPH graduate student and he
accorded me the attention and respect that others
reserve for accomplished researchers. His quiet, thoughtful
and respectful manner is still in my memory. He will
be missed. Denise Jolicoeur
We
are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. John Slade.
He will be greatly missed. Sincerely, The Staff of
The Tobacco Dependency Treatment Program of The Plainfield
Health Center
I
am so deeply saddened by John's death. John greatly
inspired me from the first time I met him. I had huge
respect for both his work and him as a person. I will
really miss him and his critically important role
in tobacco control. Ann McNeill, UK
In
1980, John and I were both at the NJ Department of
Health, where he was detailed as an EIS (Epidemiology
Intelligence Service) from the CDC. We worked together
on several projects, including investigating a cluster
of testicular cancer among members of a highschool
sports team. John brought enthusiasm and diligence
to this task as to all endeavors. Unlike many of us,
John was able to focus his energy and compassion on
a single target, thereby achieving substantial success.
The tobacco industry wreaks its own special brand
of terrorism on society, and John fought that battle
diligently and uncompromisingly. His was a warm person
with a dry sense of humor. He will be sorely missed.
Michael Gochfeld, EOHSI
John
was a truly beautiful human being, an utterly selfless
leader whose humility, creativity, and energy made
him a unique resource to the field of tobacco control.
What is perhaps most remarkable about him is that
those of us who worked with him exclusively in a professional
capacity felt so close to him personally. My 21 year-old
son -- a mix of idealist and cynic --always complains
that you can't change the world. John did. He changed
its attitudes, he created its leaders, he informed
all of us and changed our thinking. I will always
be indebted to him for my professional growth, and
for my understanding, if not emulation, of what it
takes to be a truly fine person. -- Ken Warner, University
of Michigan
Good
morning one and all, I am sorry to hear of of Dr.
Slade's passing. I do hope to be one of the many folks
to carry on his passion. It has been 2 years since
our dear Mom, Annette passed away from Chronic Obstructive
Lung Disease, a condition from decades of smoking
cigarettes. I miss her more than words can say. I
know that others feel the same way when they lose
a loved one to addiction. My father had also passed
years before Mom and alcohol was a contributing factor
to his death. It truly is agony. Some years back I
graduated from the Chemical Dependency Counselor Training
Program here in Oregon and while taking classes I
started a two year internship at one of Eugene's treatment
facilities. I love what I do. As a former addict of
cocaine myself with 11 years clean, I know first hand
the insidiousness of any kind of drug and I vowed
many years ago that I would spend the rest of my life
assisting in any way I could to help others with education
about this. Thank you Doctor for doing your part.
You are highly respected. Your passion will live on.
Sincerely, Christine Louise Hutchinson
As
I witnessed it, you were always on the right path,
from the time I met you twenty years ago until our
final conversation. All your friends will miss you
and the twinkle in your eye, John. Andrew McGuire
I
am saddened by this news. Professor Slade was an great
scientist and a warm and kind individual. We'll miss
him! Mustafa al'Absi University of Minnesota
I
have had the distinct pleasure of knowing John for
the past 5 years I've been at RWJF. At first, I knew
of John as the bow-tied man who had the amazing collection
of "Trinkets & Trash". Over time and
through our work on the program for the World Conference,
I came to know the incredible man he was. He was not
only one of the most well-known and respected leaders
in tobacco control, he was truly a kind and thoughtful
man. He will be missed dearly by many, but especially
by those of us at RWJF. I wish Francis and his family
much strength and faith during this difficult time.
Sincerely, Sallie Petrucci, The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation.
I
am very saddened to learn about Dr. Slade's death.
His expertise, commitment to his field and kindness
toward people touched me deeply during the 8 day Tobacco
Training where I first met Dr. Slade. Even though
I have had limited contact with him , Dr. Slade made
a lasting impression on me. It truly is our loss that
he gone. Paivi Anderson, RN, LCSW Manager, Ambulatory
Behavioral Health Services Newark Beth Israel Medical
Center
Personally,
it is as if a great light, which has led me out of
darkness, has gone out. I am privileged to have known
and worked with John Slade. There is no doubt that
John was a talented physician and enduring pioneer
for tobacco control. It is evident though, that above
all, we are reeling in the loss of such an exceptional
human being. Seeing him work with patients in such
a generous way brought me to humility. The horror
that John was unaware of the great man he was and
of all the gifts he still had to give, brings me so
much pain. I only find comfort in his peace and in
the fact that I will continue to help people to quit
smoking every day as the greatest legacy to him. Jill
Williams, MD; UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
and Tobacco Dependence Program.
Like
everyone who knew John Slade, I'm terribly saddened.
What an awful loss - professionally, of course, but
most of all because John was such a fundamentally
decent guy; generous and humble in spite of his incredible
intelligence and effectiveness as an advocate. I will
remember John not just for his extraordinary accomplishments,
but most of all for his courteous, gentle and soft-spoken
nature. Cliff Douglas
John
Slade's legacy is not only his work as a scholar and
as an advocate. It is also the many, many people who
have put his work into good use, be that David Kessler
or people out in the trenches. It is rare for someone
so brilliant to be yet so unassuming and modest. And
when he spoke at meetings he did so in a dispassionate
manner. Even so, I would notice how attentive everyone
was to what he said. I also remember reading a tobacco
industry document wherein an industry plant, who it
appeared was out recruiting for scientists, described
his speech and demeanor, but noted that based on what
Dr. Slade said, he was one person they need not contact
to be a possible consultant. Robert Anderson, West
Virginia University
Dr.
John Slade's work and writing is much appreciated
by me. When I spoke with him, he was encouraging.
Like a mentor, he was a leader in tobacco control.
His fine example, and that of others, helped inspire
me to develop background material on tobacco control,
including the right to pure air, details at http://medicolegal.tripod.com/pureaircases.htm
and past leadership on the subject, details at sites
such as http://medicolegal.tripod.com/iowalaw1897.htm
His passing at age 52 is hard. I wish his family well
in this trying time. Sincerely, Leroy J. Pletten The
Crime Prevention Group
The
tobacco control movement has lost a true spiritual
leader. I add my comments to many others who knew
John as a tireless leader, superb researcher, committed
activist, mentor, and friend. He has touched many
lives in the universe. My prayers are with his family
and with his fond spirit that lives on. Deborah McLellan
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
On
behalf of the SUCCESS Tobacco Quitcenter located at
Hackensack University Medical Center, we extend our
sympathies to the family of Dr. Slade. We were saddedened
to hear of his passing. We will continue to provide
treatment and counseling to individuals who are addicted
to tobacco with the same passion that Dr. Slade conveyed
to us in the training at UMDNJ. His work will enable
us and many others to help save lives. Kate McDougall
Natalie Ross Laura Sutton
I
am very sorry to learn about the death of John Slade.
In my mind he was one of the stalwarts of tobacco
control, not only because of his deep knowledge of
cigarettes and other tobacco products but more because
of his willingness and enthusiasm in sharing the knowledge
he had with everyone else and explaining intricacies
with a great deal of patience. He sometimes corresponded
with me on Indian tobacco products and we had met
only a few times, the last one was in Chicago conference,
but after every meeting with him, I felt richer. His
death is a loss for tobacco control worldwide. Prakash
C. Gupta Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mmbai
400 005, India
John
Slade is the only MD I ever knew who had the fire
in the belly of a crusader. He was impeccable -- steeled
with integrity, softened by humor and kindness, focused
and productive and oh so smart. You could see the
relief on everyone's face when, after meeting for
hours, John opened his mouth to put it all together.
No one listened better than he did and went right
for what we in journalism call "the nut graph."
No one fought the fight better than this man who we
in my tribe call a "mensch." I shall remember
John always and continue to hold him in awe, as one
of the few achievers I've ever known worthy of deep
respect. And eternal appreciation. Hilary Abramson
former media specialist when John was a director The
Marin Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and
Other Drug Problems
My
memories of John Slade are as a tireless advocate
for alcohol control and public health-oriented alcohol
policies. He brought to the alcohol field the lessons
and creativity from years of working against the tobacco
industry, and led and inspired those of us working
on alcohol to try new strategies and strike out in
new directions. My nickname for him was always "Dr.
Stealth" because he was so mild-mannered, but
so effective as an advocate. I have a file called
"Slade-scapades" filled with ideas that
he gave me over the years, some of which we followed
up on, and some of which are still like gifts waiting
to be opened and explored. I deeply appreciated John's
integrity, his matter-of-fact courage and deep determination,
and his constant encouragement. I miss him already,
and join with others in sending my condolences to
his wife and family. -David Jernigan (also, thanks
for putting up this page)
I
first met Dr. John Slade at the 92' STAT Conference.
I have been impressed by both his scientific knowledge,
his commitment in the fight against industry's interests
& the fact that he kept the personal roots of
his commitment in tobacco control. It reminds me of
a meeting where we were about 20 gathered, joining
our hands, and listening to notably to Dr. Slade telling
who in his family had been victims of tobacco addiction.
I would like to share with his family and his friends
my sadness and how much grateful to Dr. Slade we need
to be around the world. Pascal Melihan-Cheinin Paris,
France E-mail: pascalmc@ifrance.com
John
was an inspiration to me both in my professional and
personal life. He was a brilliant strategist and thinker
and completely committed to public health. He dedicated
enormous energy to my career, and his confidence in
me helped me through some difficult times. John had
integrity and it guided him in all of his activities.
He was a leader and mentor, yet was a modest individual
always ready to listen and learn, showing respect
and interest in the lives of everyone he met. I am
so deeply saddened at his death, at the loss for everyone.
I especially send my best wishes and condolences to
his family and close friends. John was loved by so
many. I only wish I had had the opportunity to express
these words of appreciation and support to him directly.
Jim Mosher
Matt
Myers Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids John Slade was
a towering giant who too few people knew and appreciated,
but those who knew him best and those who worked the
hardest to reduce the death toll from tobacco appreciated
him the most. There is no person who has done more
over the years to promote tobacco prevention and cessation
and no person who was liked by more people - whether
they agreed with his views or not. John was one of
the world's greatest experts on nicotine and addiction.
He was a true visionary in every sense of the word.
He was among the first to understand the importance
of these issues. John also had the most extensive
collection of tobacco industry marketing material
in the United States and served as the source of information
about tobacco industry marketing practices for virtually
all of us. There was no more dedicated, thoughtful,
and important tobacco control advocate. John was zealous
without being a zealot. John had more good ideas than
I can count and more times than I can remember was
the first person to see a new direction in which we
should be heading. Many of us who depended on John
will appear a lot less innovative without John supplying
us with a steady stream of ideas and the fact to back
them up. He was a true leader who never demanded credit
and whose contributions were appreciated the most
by the people who knew him the best. Separate from
his enormous contributions, I have simply never met
a finer, more self-effacing, more decent human being.
He never did anything out of self-interest and he
never treated anyone with less respect than we would
all wanted to be treated. He never raised his voice
in anger, never disparaged someone because they disagreed
with him, and never let his passion for reducing the
death toll from tobacco get in the way of his ironclad
commitment to lay out the science truthfully, accurately
and completely. He never lost his cool, but he was
a man of towering strength. He was brilliant, creative
and dedicated, but most important he was just an incredible
human being.
John's
death is indeed devastating news. John embodied all
the qualities that most of us aspire to but rarely
achieve: total honesty and integrity; humility; brilliance;
insightfulness; vision; unselfishness; and courage.
That he dedicated his life to tobacco prevention and
cessation was a most fortunate gift to this nation
and world -- and was symbolized, in the dry humor
manner of John's, by his New Jersey license plate
which read "no cigs." Like all John's friends,
I will treasure the memories and the wisdom he shared.
Jim Bergman National Center for Tobacco-Free Older
Persons The Center for Social Gerontology Ann Arbor,
Michigan
I
have only known John Slade well for less than two
years. In that time I understood why he is held in
such high regard by colleagues, students and patients
alike. He always encouraged and supported. I have
never known a more modest medical professor. He led
by example and by encouragement to do likewise and
by so doing he inspired all those who worked with
him. I am extremely grateful for the time I spent
with him, but wish it could have been longer. Jonathan
Foulds, UMDNJ-School of Public Health
May
you rest in peace gentle warrior
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