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Peter Baldini, Chief Executive Officer of WLF, reflects on five years of global tobacco control work with Bloomberg Philanthropies
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of mortality in the world today, responsible for more than five million deaths each year. To address this growing epidemic, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the global Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (the Initiative) in 2007, of which World Lung Foundation is a principal partner. This week, Bloomberg Philanthropies released the first progress report assessing the Initiative, detailing significant achievements in the global fight against tobacco use over the past five years.
Peter Baldini, Chief Executive Officer of World Lung Foundation, commented on five years of significant progress: “Bloomberg Philanthropies has catalysed a truly global movement to curb the deadly toll of tobacco. Only five years later, its efforts are already having a real impact on the world’s health, livelihoods and life expectancy. We are proud to work with many partners, on the ground in priority, high burden tobacco use countries and worldwide, but especially the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, the World Health Organization, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the CDC Foundation and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The success of our combined efforts stems from Michael Bloomberg’s vision and strategy of focusing on proven policies to reduce tobacco use.We also acknowledge substantial contributions made by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the Bloomberg Initiative. Together they have enabled WLF to mount more than 80 mass media tobacco control public education campaigns in 20 countries. Although we have made great strides in the last five years, billions of people still live without the protection of effective tobacco control policies. World Lung Foundation looks forward to making further progress against this preventable epidemic.”
Since the Initiative started, 21 countries have passed 100% smoke-free laws and 303 tobacco laws have been drafted or consultations provided. Because public education and awareness is so crucial in tobacco control, the Initiative has also helped to educate 4,500 journalists and 7,000 public health professionals about tobacco control issues. The report also estimates that there has been a 400% increase in the percentage of people protected from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke—affecting millions worldwide. WLF joins our partners and fellow-stakeholders in tobacco control to thank and applaud Bloomberg Philanthropies for its ongoing efforts in this life-saving work.
The Five Years of Progress report is available to download or view at http://www.mikebloomberg.com/FiveYearsOfProgress.