We applaud New York City Mayor and philanthropist Michael R. Bloomberg, for his unwavering commitment to public health by announcing his continued support of US $220 million to the global fight against tobacco use, bringing his total support to over US $600 million. We encourage other philanthropists to follow his lead. Tobacco will kill one billion people this century if we allow trends to continue, but these deaths are preventable and we know how to prevent them, through proven control polices including increasing tobacco taxes, smoking in public places and workplaces, banning the advertisement of tobacco products and health warnings on packages of cigarettes.

The Bloomberg Initiative has supported the implementation of effective tobacco control policies in low and moderate income countries, thereby protecting some of the world’s most vulnerable people from the death and disease caused by tobacco addiction.