For the first century of our existence, we were TMA. Starting with a small gathering of cigar executives frustrated by competitive dynamics around trademarks and the need for more information on legislative, regulatory, economic, and product development issues, they founded TMA. In 1916 we held our first Annual Meeting at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. 

For more than a century, TMA held its meetings and did just that. Starting in 2025, our membership voted on some big changes to harmonize our conferences and we became ATNF and now stand alongside our global sister conference, GTNF. Through all the changes some things remained the same: our commitment to convening stakeholders who agree and disagree with us to bring together the people and ideas needed to help our delegates gain inspiration and understanding.

ATNF is part of the Nicotine Resource Consortium, the successor to the TMA. The Consortium's mission is simple: Convene and Inform. To do that, we stand apart from other associations. We are prohibited from lobbying and advocating. Our forums, like ATNF, are content neutral. We do not seek simply to advance an agenda. We create agendas that explore topics through diverse opinions, confronting facts, and remaining open and respectful of the diversity of thought and solutions available to tobacco and nicotine issues.