Bloomberg gives $200M to stem smoking

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he has committed an additional $220 million of his private funds to fight tobacco use around the world. Bloomberg said with his latest donation of $220 million he had committed more than $600 million for efforts to reduce the rate of smoking in low- and middle-income countries, where almost 80 percent of the world's smokers live. The funding announcement was made at the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Singapore. Bloomberg Philanthropies' four-year commitment will: Concentrate efforts on evidence-based policy change at the national level. Countries experiencing the largest burden of tobacco use -- China, India, Indonesia, Russia and Bangladesh -- as well as other low and middle income countries, will keep receiving intensive support. Fund litigation and advocacy support to challenge tobacco industry efforts to thwart implementation of smoking cessation policies or related efforts. Fund grant support to governments for the implementation of anti-tobacco initiatives. "Tobacco kills every day, so we need to keep the fight moving forward and keep the momentum going," Bloomberg told the conference. "In low- and middle-income countries alone, an additional 1.2 billion people are now covered by at least one of six proven tobacco control policies -- more than doubling the number of people protected in just five years. When these measures are implemented, the results are clear -- fewer people use tobacco and they live longer, healthier lives."