For More Information:
Susan Dewhirst
Tom's of Maine
1-800-FOR-TOMS
sdewhirst@tomsofmaine.com

Tom’s of Maine Hosts and Sponsors Conference With Over 400 Plant, Herb, and Marine Plant Experts From Around the World

Annual American Society of Pharmacognosy Conference comes to Portland, Maine, July 14-July 18

(July 13, 2007 - Kennebunk, Maine)—Tom’s of Maine is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring and hosting the 48th annual American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP) Conference. Students, academics, practicing scientists, and experts from around the world are gathering in Portland, Maine, to discuss the latest findings, science, and trends in the field of natural products, plants, and microorganisms, The 48-year-old ASP works to formalize and perpetuate the standards and ideals of plant science. Tom’s of Maine CEO Tom Chappell said, “Tom’s of Maine is pleased to sponsor and welcome scientists from around the globe to Maine. Our support of this conference reinforces our commitment to and investment in the research of plants and herbs.”

Long time members of ASP, Tom’s of Maine scientists Dr. Stefan Gafner and Dr. Chantal Bergeron, initiated bringing the conference to Maine in 2004. Dr. Gafner enthusiastically explained, “Maine is a great place to have a conference this size, with people who have a genuine interest in nature; the area provides a fascinating array of plants and herbs. At this year’s meeting there will be numerous talks on the latest cranberry and blueberry research, which will give the conference its local flavor.”

Over 400 scientists from the U.S. and 20 other countries from 5 continents will gather in Maine to discuss:

• Currrent and important aspects of commercial herbal products
• Marine toxins and marine ecology
• Medicinal chemistry of natural products
• Natural products: Unique sources, unique techniques
• Botanical personal care products

In addition to the scientific topics covered, attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops including:

• Clinical pharmacognosy: Contribution of pharmacognosy to the quality of clinical trials of botanicals & dietary supplements
• Modern NMR: Two methods for organic structure elucidation
• Training course: Optimization and in-house validation of analytical methods for dietary supplements

About Tom's of Maine
Founded in Kennebunk, Maine, by Tom and Kate Chappell in 1970, Tom's of Maine creates effective personal care products using simple, natural ingredients derived from plants and minerals. Tom's of Maine products—toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, deodorant, and soap—do not contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, flavors, or animal ingredients; are tested for safety and efficacy without the use of animals; are biodegradable; and are packaged in earth-friendly ways. Our philosophy of "Natural Care" guides us in doing what is right for our customers, employees, communities, and environment. We fulfill our Natural Care mission by donating 10% of our profits to charitable organizations; by encouraging our employees to use 5% of their paid time in volunteer work; by adhering to our standards of natural, sustainable, and responsible; and by not testing on animals.

Tom’s of Maine products and packaging are designed to be sustainable and recyclable. Each year, we use packaging made of 100% recycled paper board. As a result, we save or prevent:

• 0.5 million pounds of solid waste
• 2.8 million gallons of wastewater
• 7 billion BTUs of electricity— that’s 70 years of electricity as required by the average U.S. home.
• 1 million pounds of greenhouse gases—that’s 1 million miles traveled in the average U.S. car
• 6,000 pounds of air pollution (HAPs, VOCs, TRSs combined)
• 26,732 pounds of hazardous effluent (BODs, TSSs, CODs, AOXs)

Tom’s of Maine also:

• Use vegetable-based inks on all of our professionally printed materials and packaging
• Wraps bar soaps in biodegradable cellulose made from wood fibers
• Created a deodorant stick made of just a single plastic (#5 polypropylene) so that it can be recycled—the first of its kind in the industry and a container that is even stronger and more reliable than the old nonrecyclable version!

About the American Society of Pharmacognosy
The purpose of the American Society of Pharmacognosy is to promote the growth and development of pharmacognosy, to provide the opportunity for association among the workers in that science and in related sciences, to provide opportunities for presentation of research achievements, and to promote the publication of meritorious research.

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