This short video is on the part of the site of Mike Bloomberg devoted to his philanthropic activities. Still no detailed website for the Bloomberg Foundation.
Bloomberg Philanthropies' tobacco initiative – a six-year, $375 million program – has supported efforts in low and middle-income countries around the world to support governments and non-governmental organizations in implementing the World Health Organization's "MPOWER" measures to reduce tobacco use – and in exposing and countering tobacco industry attempts to defeat such measures. These efforts, along with the obligations of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and growing awareness of the huge global toll of tobacco use, have spurred governments around the world to take action to reduce tobacco use. More than five million deaths per year are due to tobacco, making it the world's leading non-communicable agent of death. By 2030 that number is expected to grow to eight million deaths per year.
The tobacco industry has become more aggressive than ever in fighting tobacco control measures, including using international trade and financial agreements to challenge them. Bloomberg Philanthropies funds partner organizations to work in low- and middle- income countries to defend progress against tobacco industry challenges. In Indonesia, for example, partners are defending a tobacco industry-filed constitutional challenge to the national health law, which contains tobacco control provisions addressing smoke-free places, advertising bans and health warnings. In Argentina, partners supported attorneys to draft an amicus brief in British American Tobacco's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a law restricting tobacco advertising in the Province of Santa Fe – the strongest law of its type in Argentina. In Brazil, partners are combating industry legal challenges against tobacco control laws in the jurisdictions of Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo, and Parana, and are countering the industry's efforts to oppose federal legislation to ban smoking in indoor places. In Guatemala, partners are collaborating with the Vice President and key legislators in the wake of a legal victory by British American Tobacco around tobacco taxes. And in the Philippines, partners are working with government officials to defend against four tobacco industry-filed lawsuits challenging an administrative order related to cigarette pack warnings and use of misleading terms on package labels.
"The tobacco industry has clearly responded to the incredible progress made over the past few years – and the dramatically stepped up, effective activity by governments and public health leaders all over the world. We have their attention, they are pushing back, and we will redouble our efforts," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a Bloomberg Philanthropies partner.
The tobacco industry is a well-funded opponent, but success is possible. Over 400 million people worldwide have become newly protected by smoke free legislation and other effective tobacco control policies in the last three years. Bloomberg Philanthropies has contributed to this critical momentum by supporting implementation of evidence-based policies and strategies proven to reduce tobacco use. In the past three years, Bloomberg Philanthropies has provided almost 300 direct-to-government and non-governmental organization grants in nearly 50 countries, totaling $65 million; drafted or provided expert consultation on 230 tobacco control laws in 42 countries; trained 5,500 public health professionals in tobacco control; and educated 3,500 journalists from low- and middle-income countries on tobacco control issues. But despite these important pieces of progress, there is more work to be done. Bloomberg Philanthropies is committed to continuing these efforts and to ensuring that the persistent efforts of the tobacco industry to provide misinformation to governments and undermine progress is halted.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its guidelines provide the foundation for countries to implement and manage tobacco control. To help make this a reality, WHO introduced the MPOWER package of measures in 2008. MPOWER is intended to assist in the country-level implementation of effective measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, contained in the WHO FCTC.
- Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
- Protect people from tobacco smoke
- Offer help to quit tobacco use
- Warn about the dangers of tobacco
- Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
- Raise taxes on tobacco
In addition to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Bloomberg Philanthropies' partners in the global anti-tobacco initiative include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and the World Lung Foundation and its global partner the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.
Contact: Katie Appel, Bloomberg Philanthropies, 212.205.0344
[email protected]
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