Michael Bloomberg
From humble beginning to billionaire, Michael Bloomberg's story finds a home on this wiki because of his epic battle to end the use of nicotine around the world. He joined the war on smoking years ago and has branched out to working to abolish most forms of consumer use of nicotine. Some think of him as a generous saint working to make the world a better place. Others have referred to him as creating a nanny state, controlling, a philanthropic capitalist and of philanthropic colonialism. He has donated billions of dollars to many causes. We'll explore some of those causes below. The exploration won't be limited to just nicotine, so we are able to get a more clear picture of the man behind the billions.
Nicotine Products
Armenia
Australia
2023: Open Philanthropy - Tobacco Control
- "Legal aid. One strategy outside the MPOWER framework is training legal experts to write better policies and fight against the tobacco industry lobby. There are some organizations working on this. The Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund, which is funded by both Bloomberg and Gates, provides resources to LMICs to pass tobacco control laws. The McCabe Centre in Australia trains government lawyers and policymakers to advance tobacco control laws. I did not find any estimates of how much funding is spent on legal aid, so I am unsure how much this space would benefit from additional funding."
- "The Gates Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies are two of the largest funders in this space. Gates mainly funds tobacco control in Africa, while Bloomberg focuses on large, mainly Asian countries."
2015: New global fund to help countries defend tobacco control
2014: Law and Cancer workshop a big success
- "...with a focus on regulating risk factors, particularly tobacco use through the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control."
- "The workshop was primarily supported by grants from...and the Bloomberg Philanthropies."
2008 - 2013: Pre-testing and evaluation of mass media communications in low and middle income countries
- Funding: Bloomberg Philanthropies via the World Lung Foundation
Bangladesh
Bloomberg Initiative Grants - Bangladesh (Way Back Machine)
- Grants cover several years. Most of the recipients received more than 1 grant. Grants recipients include:
- Action in Development - AID
- AID Foundation initiated its Tobacco Control project in 2007. Since then, it has been working on tobacco control field with the financial and technical support of The Union, France since2009. Now the following project for regulating the retail sales of tobacco products through licensing and TAPS Bans is being implemented in a national context. (2019 Annual Report)
- Alliance for Co-operation and Legal Aid Bangladesh ACLAB
- ACLAB has established working partnership with Ministries of Education, Health & Family Welfare, Social Welfare, Women and Child Affairs, Labor and Manpower, Local Government, Information and Communication and also Bangladesh Bank, World Bank, ADB, UNDP, UNICEF, Winrock International, ILO, SDC, JSDF, NGO Foundation, BRAC, BNNRC, PIACT Bangladesh, DORP, Aparajeyo Bangladesh, HASAB, Bloomberg Philanthropies and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Winrock International, CSA for SUN, BD. In implementing development projects, ACLAB focuses on building networking & linkage with GO, NGOs, CSOs, CBOs and private sector. Good relationship is maintained with the local Government bodies, officials from law enforcers and other Government departments, local informal leaders, journalists, religious leaders, civil society representatives and community people.
- ACLAB 2015 Annual Report Ch. 18 - Tobacco Control
- ACLAB has established working partnership with Ministries of Education, Health & Family Welfare, Social Welfare, Women and Child Affairs, Labor and Manpower, Local Government, Information and Communication and also Bangladesh Bank, World Bank, ADB, UNDP, UNICEF, Winrock International, ILO, SDC, JSDF, NGO Foundation, BRAC, BNNRC, PIACT Bangladesh, DORP, Aparajeyo Bangladesh, HASAB, Bloomberg Philanthropies and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Winrock International, CSA for SUN, BD. In implementing development projects, ACLAB focuses on building networking & linkage with GO, NGOs, CSOs, CBOs and private sector. Good relationship is maintained with the local Government bodies, officials from law enforcers and other Government departments, local informal leaders, journalists, religious leaders, civil society representatives and community people.
- Association for Community Development (ACD)
- Current and Past Donors include Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- Bangladesh Health Foundation
- Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA)
- Bureau of Economic Research
- Campaign for Good Governance (SUPRO)
- Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB)
- Dhaka Ahsania Mission
- Environment Council Bangladesh (ECB)
- Grambangla Unnayan Committee
- Healthbridge
- Human Development Research Centre (HDRC)
- 2012 to 2015 - HDRC’s advocacy has facilitated in increasing the price of harmful tobacco products
- HDRC conducted series of research-based studies advocacies with towards an effective tobacco taxation in Bangladesh. This was supported by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)
- The MPs were continuously sensitized in one-to-one basis. As a result of those sensitization activities, a good number of MPs issued DO letters to National Board of Revenue in favor of increasing tax on all tobacco products.
- The concerted efforts of HDRC—ensuring proactive participation of the active tobacco control groups in Bangladesh—pursued the government to revise the tax structure which significantly increased the price of the tobacco products.
- 2015 - DEVELOPING ADVOCACY MATERIAL FOR POLICY MAKERS IN THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT FOR AN EFFECTIVE TOBACCO-TAX SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH, CONDUCTED FOR (CTFK) AND BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES (YEAR 2015)
- Note: Not in English
- 2015 - DEVELOPING ADVOCACY MATERIAL FOR REVISED TOBACCO-TAX SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH, CONDUCTED FOR (CTFK) AND BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES (YEAR 2015)
- Tax and Policy suggestions
- Keywords: Human Development Research Centre, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids , (CTFK)
- 2015 - DEVELOPING A PROPOSED TOBACCO-TAX POLICY 2015 FOR BANGLADESH, CONDUCTED FOR (CTFK) AND BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES (YEAR 2015)
- Keywords: Human Development Research Centre, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2013 - ADVOCACY FOR EFFECTIVE TOBACCO TAXATION IN BANGLADESH, CONDUCTED FOR CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS (CTFK))
- The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Taxation in Bangladesh
- 2012 to 2015 - HDRC’s advocacy has facilitated in increasing the price of harmful tobacco products
- National Anti Tuberculosis (TB) Association of Bangladesh (NATAB)
- National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh
- National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- PROGGA
- Shimantik
- Tobacco Control & Research Cell (TCRC) - Dhaka International University (TCRC Link not working - Tobacco Poster link not working)
- UBINIG (PVT) Ltd.
- Unnayan Shamannay
- Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust
- Young Power in Social Action (YPSA)
- 2017-2018 - 1st August 2017 to 31st October 2018 (Phase 5) - Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces
- Supported by: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) & Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2018 Aug - YPSA participated in Bangladesh Tobacco Control Leadership Program in Cox’s Bazar
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Bangladesh Center for Communication program jointly organized the Bangladesh Tobacco control leadership program from 28th July to 2nd August at Ocean Paradise Hotel, Cox’s Bazar. Around 80 participants from anti tobacco organizations, government officials, media representatives and anti tobacco activists across the country participated in the program.
- 2018 Aug - Meeting with Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives held in Dhaka
- The meeting was organized by Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, initiated by YPSA, DAM, ACD and AID Foundation and supported by CTFK, The Union & Bloomberg Philanthropies.
- Md. Khairul Alam Sheikh, Coordinator (Joint Secretary), National Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shared a presentation on “Tobacco Control in Bangladesh and Local Governments Roles & Responsibilities.”
- 2015-2017 - 15th April 2015 to 14th April 2017 (24 months) - Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces
- Supported by: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) & Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2017 Mar - YPSA organized workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Noakhali”
- YPSA and ABSA jointly organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Noakhali” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2017 Feb - Tobacco control issue to incorporate as agenda in MCM – Deputy Commissioner of Comilla
- YPSA and Shristi Somaj Kollan Sangstha jointly organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Comilla” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2017 Feb - Workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Chittagong” held with government officials
- YPSA organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Chittagong” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2017 Feb - Workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Rangamati” held with government officials
- YPSA organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Rangamati” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2016 Sep - Workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Lakshmipur” held with government officials
- YPSA, GEMS and DC Office of Lakshmipur district jointly organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Lakshmipur” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2016 Apr - Workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Brahmanbaria” held
- YPSA and DC Office of Brahmanbaria district jointly organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Brahmanbaria” with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2016 Jan - Workshop on Implementation of Tobacco Control Law held in Cox’s Bazar
- PSA and DC Office of Cox’s Bazar district jointly organized a workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Cox’s Bazar” for the government officials with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2015 Dec - Workshop on Implementation of Tobacco Control Law held with government officials in Feni
- YPSA organized a workshop on Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Feni with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2015 Dec - Workshop on Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Khagrachari held
- YPSA and Civil surgeon Office of Khagrachari district jointly organized a workshop on Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Khagrachari with the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies
- 2015 Oct - Representatives from US based organization (CTFK) met mayor of Chittagong City Corporation
- 10 million BDT has been allocated in the current fiscal year’s budget for tobacco control initiative. Said mayor of Chittagong City Corporation AZM Nasir Uddin in a courtesy meeting with the representatives of US based organizations Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Bloomberg Initiative (BI) and leading NGO of Chittagong YPSA.
- 2015 Oct - Symposium on Global Tobacco Control titled “Learning from the Experts: A Course for Healthcare Professionals” held
- The leading social development organisation of Chittagong, YPSA and Dhaka based organisation, BCCP (Bangladesh Center for Communication Program) jointly organized a symposium on Global Tobacco Control titled as “Learning from the Experts: A Course for Healthcare Professionals” on 11th October’15, in Southern Medical College and Hospital, Chittagong. The event has described a free, online training program called “Global Tobacco Control: Learning from the Experts.” to the participants of the symposium. The Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH-IGTC), a partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, introduced this web-based training program.
- 2014 Nov - Divisional workshop on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Law” held in Cox’s Bazar
- The workshop was organized by Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Office with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Bloomberg Philanthropies and YPSA.
- 2011 Dec - KhagraChori Pouroshova set to prepare the smokefree guideline
- The training were arranged by YPSA with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiatives (BI).
- 2011 Dec - Nowakhali Pouroshova declared as Smoke Free
- The training was arranged with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiatives (BI), in cooperation with a local organisation named ABSA
- 2011 Aug - Civil Surgeon Office of Brahmanbaria declared “100% Smoke Free Workplace”
- The meeting was organized by YPSA with the support of (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiative.
- 2011 Jul - Smoke free coalition formed in Laxmipur
- The meeting was organized by YPSA with the support of and (CTFK)Bloomberg Initiative.
- 2010 Dec - Chittagong City Corporation has declared smoke free by the mayor, Mr. Mohammed Manjur Alam
- The meeting was held at Abdul Sattar Auditorium of Chittagong City corporation office on 6th December 2010 with the assistance of Bloomberg Initiatives and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK).
- 2010 Aug - YPSA’s Participation in the 2010 Global Tobacco Control Leadership Program in Baltimore, USA
- The Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), Baltimore, USA has organized 5th Annual Global Tobacco Control Leadership Program, a two week leadership training program from 19th to 30th July 2010 to build effective capacity for tobacco control. As part of the Bloomberg Initiative, the 2010 Leadership Program aims to build leaders in countries experiencing the greatest burden of disease from tobacco use.
- 2010 May - Bangladesh 2nd Sub-National Smoke-Free Project Workshop ended
- YPSA and PROGGA jointly arranged the 2nd Sub-National workshop, three day long, on Smoke Free issue titled as “Bangladesh 2nd Sub-National Smoke-Free Project Workshop” in Chittagong on 17th to 19th May, 2010 which is supported by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiatives.
- The workshop was addressed by the honorable Deputy Secretary (World Health Organization (WHO)) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOH&FW) Mr. Md. Rafiqul Islam Sarker, and Senior Assistant Secretary (World Health Organization (WHO)) Ms. Nasrin Mukti, Coordinator of National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) Dr. Iqbal Kabir from MOH&FW, Director-Grants of (CTFK) Ms. Pamela Sumner Coffey, CEO of BCCP Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan, Technical Consultant of The Union Mr. Md. Akramul Islam, Program Officer of (CTFK) Ms. Anu Khanal, Research Assistant Ms. Hema, Chief Executive of YPSA Md. Arifur Rahman, Chairman of PROGGA were addressing the opening session of the workshop. The workshop is participated by the representatives from different organizations from all over the country who are working on Smoke free issue. The organizations are: WBB Trust, ACLAB, AID, ACD, SCOPE, NATAB, Shimantik, RAAC/AID, YPSA and PROGGA
- 2010 Mar - Orientation Workshop on Smoke Free Policy held in Comilla
- YPSA organized a Orientation Workshop on Smoke Free Policy in Comilla on 1st March with the assistance of Bloomberg Initiatives and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK).
- 2010 Jan - Course on Management and Leadership accomplished in India
- The Union organized a Course on Management and Leadership from 11th to 18th January held in Bhubaneswar, Urissa, India with the assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies. A total of 23 participants from Bangladesh and India have participated in the course. 8 participants from Bangladesh including 2 Deputy Secretaries to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh and 6 from different NGOs participated in the course.
- The course contents were Policy of tobacco control, BI (Bloomberg Initiative) goals and resources, Smoke free policy, Leadership issues, FCTC, The role of The Union India Office in tobacco control...
- 2009 Dec - Mayor of Cox’s Bazar municipality declared smoke free Municipality office premise
- YPSA has been implementing a project on “Promoting smoke free local Government and Public spaces in Chittagong Division” with the assistance from (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiatives since April 2009.
- 2009 Nov - Bangladesh Sub-National Smoke-Free Project Workshop ended
- The two –day workshop today, on 12th November 2009 ended at YPSA-HRDC, organized by YPSA and PROGGA in cooperation with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), The Union and Bloomberg Initiatives.
- The workshop is participated by the representatives from different NGOs, around the country, working on the Smoke-Free Campaign like- WBB Trust, ACLAB, AID, BICD, ACD, BCDP, PUP, NATAB, Shimantik, Chittagong City Corporation, Darpan-Comilla, Cox’s Bazar Municipality, Feni Human Development Foundation, YPSA and PROGGA.
- 2009 Aug - Media should actively come forward to support the Smoke Free Campaign
- Media should contribute to ensure the proper implementation of the Smoke and Tobacco Control Act and Rules.’ Speakers said in a meeting that organized by YPSA, on 27 August 2009 in Chittagong, on “Smoke free Work and Public Place: Duties of Media” under the program of “Promoting Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces in Chittagong Division” supported by (CTFK) and Bloomberg Initiatives.
- 2009 Jul - CTFK, Bloomberg and The Union Representatives visited YPSA
- Ms. Pamela Sumner Coffey, Director, International Grants of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) accompany with Ms. Kelly Larson, MPH from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Delhi office and Mr. Md. Akramul Islam, Technical Consultant from The Union visited YPSA and reviewed YPSA project titled ‘ Promoting Smoke Free Local Government and Public Places in Chittagong Division’ on 21 July ’09 in YPSA head office.
- 2009 Apr - Management and Leadership Training Course by The Union
- Mr.Nazmul Haider , Program Officer of YPSA recently participated in the Management and Leadership Training Course organized by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union ) at Hyderabad , India from 30 March – 7 April 2009 . The course was supported by Bloomberg Initiative for Tobacco Control
- 2017-2018 - 1st August 2017 to 31st October 2018 (Phase 5) - Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces
- Action in Development - AID
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
2013 Jun 14 - Bangladesh Enacts New Anti-Tobacco Rules
- Bloomberg Philanthropies grantees and Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance members persistently supported the amendment through innovative public campaigns.
The Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA)
Brazil
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
China
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
France
India
Note: go back to this page - India after Bangladesh)
2021 Mar 19 - Michael Bloomberg turns the dial on Indian health policy
- Keywords: Bloomberg, WHO - World Health Organization
2020 Oct 22 - The Unfolding Tragedy of India’s Vape Prohibition
- In 2019 India passed a ban on vapor products. The measure came with strict consequences. A first-time violation can lead to a year in prison, and a $1,400-equivalent fine; additional offenses can mean all the way up to five years in prison, and a $7,000 fine.
- The Indian government owns a significant stake in the nation’s largest tobacco company, ITC, and India itself is one of the biggest tobacco cultivators on the planet. So “if you want to fight Big Tobacco in India,” said Aryan Sharma, “you have to fight the government itself.”
- Meanwhile, supposed philanthropic savior and nicotine prohibitionist Michael Bloomberg, a financial backer of The Union, has also sought to influence tobacco control in India so much so that his charity has repeatedly been under investigation by Indian authorities.
- See Also: THE UNION CONGRATULATES INDIA FOR PROTECTING NON-SMOKERS AND YOUTH BY PASSING THE PROHIBITION OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES ACT 2019
- The Union and partners began collaborating with Indian Ministries of Health at the national and state levels in 2013 to support the formulation of an e-cigarette position.
2020 Oct 15 - Bloomberg’s War Chest Probed
- Association Vapers India (AVI) said: “These international NGOs directly fund government departments and state tobacco control programs, which shouldn't be allowed as receiving money directly from private entities creates massive conflict. “While India moves to tighten FCRA laws, these foreign NGOs and their local grantees have broken and continue to break laws - one of them, Burning Brain Society, is filing court cases with this money which violates FCRA norms. So entrenched is this cartel that when a government official questioned this foreign funding, he was promptly booted out and the bar on the errant NGO quickly lifted. Emboldened, these foreign NGOs are now proposing highly discriminatory policies like banning less harmful alternatives in developing nations but not in the West -- yes, in countries where harm prevention is vital as people have low access to healthcare.”
2017 Aug 31 - Note Marked 'Secret' Faulted Bloomberg Charity For Anti-Tobacco Lobbying
- India has been investigating how Bloomberg Philanthropies, founded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, funds local non-profit groups for anti-tobacco lobbying, government documents show, making it the latest foreign non-government organisation to come under scrutiny.
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
2015 Nov - Tobacco control in India
- Keywords: World Health Organization (WHO), Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), Bloomberg Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI), MPOWER, National Tobacco Control Programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, National Conference on Tobacco or Health, Ministry of Finance, National Consultation on Economics of Tobacco, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
- WHO has provided support for the National Tobacco Control Programme by building human resource capacity through training and hiring 18 tobacco control consultants (15 state consultants and three national consultants). These consultants have now been absorbed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as part of its staff to implement the national tobacco control programme.
2007 - Burning Brain Society
- Archived Version (Way Back Machine)
- Bloomberg Initiative To Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program - See "India" (Note: On April 10, 2021 5:30am CST this link is not working. Reviewing the main page, it works, but the links to "Previously Funded Projects" and "Bloomberg Initiative Partners" are no longer working.)
- Monitoring and Exposing Tobacco Industry Malpractice and disseminating that information to the media, law-enforcers and decision-makers in India. Oct 2007 - Dec 2008
Latin America (Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean)
NOTE: Need to add and summarize
Note: another link to add and summarize
2021 Apr 27 MEXICO’S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLISHES “ENDS REPOSITORY”
- With support from The Union, Mexico’s National Institute of Health conducted a systematic literature review of nearly one thousand articles published between 2017 and 2020.
- As The Union documents in its May 2020 position paper, “Where Bans Are Best,” novel products, including ENDS and heated tobacco products (HTPs), threaten the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Our position, which is also supported by this new evidence base, is that low- and middle-income countries must apply the precautionary principle and ban these products before they threaten to derail tobacco control progress and hook a new generation of users.
2021 Mar 25 - Scandal in Mexico
- In addition to the arbitrariness in the legislative process, it was discovered thanks to the document metadata that a prediction of the Mexican Parliament that proposes bans on vaping was written by an Argentine lawyer advising the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), an anti-vaping NGO financed by Michael Bloomberg. In the metadata of the official document, the Argentine lawyer Gianella Severini, appears as the author of the PDF, who is the legal advisor for Latin America of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) for the “Promotion of public health policies for the prevention of obesity and tobacco control.”
- For many years, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), a US transnational organization with strong operations in Latin America, has based its actions on a clear and manifest incitement for governments to establish public policies based on their spectrum of interests and within their ideological field.
- “It is curious that in the metadata of said document, a person named Gianella Severini appears as its author, the legal advisor for Latin America for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , which, together with The Union, both financed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, have its parameters of action influence the public policies of third world countries to seek laws that prohibit the use of said alternatives. These NGOs have also put money in Conadic, the INSP and different state health secretariats. It is worth mentioning that some time ago Undersecretary López Gatell has been linked to these positions and financing.
2021 Mar 16 - Interests behind Lopez-Gatell and Medel would attack e-cigarette
- Carmen Medel, president of the Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies wishes to impose a bill that seeks to ban e-cigarettes when the overwhelming majority of lawmakers who have put forward initiatives in this regard propose otherwise. Undersecretary of Health, Hugo López-Gatell, supports this prohibition bill. It is interesting that the opinion of law was drafted by Gianella Severini, Argentina, who works for the organization Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , anchored with money from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation. This is not the first time Lopez-Gatell has been related to this organization even though he denies the bond.
2020 Dec 18 Censorship and exclusion: the real situation of vaping in Mexico
- Congresswoman Medel never explained the reasons for this exclusion. However, SS officials have been known to consistently claim (privately and online) that those who oppose or disagree with their position on vaporizers are agents of the tobacco companies. With this argument they argue that article 5.3 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) prohibits any dialogue with them.
- In the forum in question, Mr. Erick Antonio Ochoa, director of the Salud Justa civil association, linked to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and the Bloomberg Foundation, emphasized this idea. He dedicated himself to slander Pro Vapeo México as the “front” of the tobacco industry, without providing any proof of his accusations. It is curious that Salud Justa accuses an association like Pro Vapeo México, which lacks a bank account, of having conflicts of interest, while Mr. Ochoa does not declare his sources of financing and the conflicts of interest of his own association.
- There is no doubt that Dr. López-Gatell follows the agenda suggested by the document "When Banning Is Better" of *The Union Against Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (The Union). It instructs the governments of low- and middle-income countries (PIMBs) to ban rather than regulate "SEAN" (electronic nicotine delivery systems).
2020 Oct 1 - Roberto Sussman (GTNF) Global Tobacco Nicotine Forum
- These are nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies and associated charities like the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , acting in synergy with small but influential groups of health professionals clustered in the tobacco control sections of government public health institutions.
- One of the most powerful officials in the government of Lopez Obrador is Dr. Hugo Lopez-Gatell. He’s an epidemiologist, and he has strong links with the Pan American Health Organization and with Bloomberg Philanthropies. He’s also the health minister. And at the same time, together with this appointment was a massive increase of lobbing activity by Bloomberg Philanthropies in the whole region,” says Sussman. “This [is] how Bloomberg works in our countries. First, they set up NGOs that they use as lobbying machines. This lobbying is done through the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Pan American Health Organization. Now, health ministries and government, they get grants from Bloomberg, but they will never say [that].”
2020 Jun 17 - Bloomberg’s War on Vaping Expands to Latin America and Beyond
- Billionaire Michael Bloomberg is a well known public figure in the U.S. However, most Americans are unaware of the overwhelming influence of his philanthropy on public health policies (sugar, food and tobacco/nicotine) in Latin America and in LMICs elsewhere in the world. This influence is exerted through the political framework of the World Health Organization (WHO), either directly or indirectly via various Bloomberg-funded NGOs.
- There are structural reasons for Bloomberg’s philanthropy to focus its efforts on LMICs: (1) these countries often welcome external private funds given the chronic lack of resources and personnel in their health ministries and public health institutions, and (2) most governments of LMICs are non-democratic regimes, with vertical, non-transparent public health bureaucracies always ready for wheeling and dealing. Thus, all it takes for a policy to be officially enacted is to lobby and convince the head of government, or a sufficiently influential group among high-ranking health officials.
- Spanish version available here
2020 Feb 24 - Mexico Bans Import of All Vaping Products, Cites World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance
- However, the primary reason cited for the ban is the ideology of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Bloomberg-funded tobacco control arm the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC).
- The bottom line for Mexico is that World Health Organization (WHO)/FCTC recommends prohibition when possible, and the government thinks it’s possible. Countries that follow World Health Organization (WHO) dogma on e-cigarette policy are rewarded with huge grants for public health programs that employ many people. Much of the funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) tobacco control programs is provided by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
2016 - Hopkins, ACS & INSP Research for tobacco control in Mexico
- Top national and international research institutions provide evidence to advance tobacco control policy making
- Keywords: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, American Cancer Society (ACS), Bloomberg Philanthropies, National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP), National Commission against Addictions (CONADIC), Autonomous University of Baja California Sur
2015 Nov - Tobacco control in Mexico
- World Health Organization (WHO) Bloomberg Initiative work in Mexico - The MPOWER measures that Mexico is implementing at the highest level of achievement are: implementing health warnings to warn people about the dangers of tobacco use and offering help to quit tobacco use (cessation programmes).
- In working with the Ministry of Health and other partners, the overall goal of the World Health Organization (WHO)-BI work in Mexico was to support the government to strengthen country’s capacity for tobacco control and run sustainable tobacco control programmes that have an immediate impact on Mexico’s tobacco epidemic.
2012 FIC Argentina
- See photo of financial supporters in the photo section at the bottom of the section on Nicotine / Tobacco. Note Bloomberg under the graphic for Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK / TFKAF)
Indonesia
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2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
LMIC's / "Philanthropic Colonialism" (General / Multiple Countries)
2021 Aug 21 - Misinformation hinders tobacco harm reduction in LMIC countries, advocates say
- Health-policy experts representing countries such as India, Ukraine, Kenya, and Mexico spoke about the obstacles to the adoption of THR in LMICs
- Misinformation from international NGOs is one of the significant factors that prevent the adoption of tobacco harm reduction (THR) in the low and middle-income countries (LMIC), said harm reduction advocates.
2021 Apr 9 - Tobacco Harm Reduction: is there a “philanthropic colonialism” towards developing countries?
- According to many international experts, the initiatives of billionaire Michael Bloomberg promote a distorted approach to Tobacco Harm Reduction and have political repercussions for all smoking reduction policies globally.
- “Science must serve the truth, not interests and ideologies – commented Prof. Riccardo Polosa, founder of CoEHAR and considered the most cited scientist in the world in the field of scientific studies on electronic cigarettes -“ It is easy to cause alarmism by deceiving those who do not have adequate knowledge to evaluate information critically. I find it very dishonest that eminent scientists and philanthropists abuse their position and their knowledge to confuse citizens, journalists and governments.“
- Bloomberg’s philanthropic activities are not limited to the West but, through a complex network of non-profit organizations that finance and influence the process of defining public health policies, also influenced many developing countries.
2021 Mar 18 - Asian consumers repudiate Bloomberg’s proposal to ban e-cigs, HTPs in LMICs
- Alternative Link
- Consumer groups in the Asia-Pacific region warned that a blanket ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) in low- and middle-income countries, as proposed by an anti-tobacco non-government organization funded by Bloomberg, will only inflame the smoking epidemic and result in higher death toll from smoking-related diseases.
2021 Mar 16 - Bloomberg Philanthropy: charity or intrusion?
- Bloomberg’s Philanthropies’ core principles are anchored on direct policy intervention, rather than on the positive engagement of stakeholders in recipient countries.
- Historically, philanthropies engage non-government or people’s organizations in beneficiary states.
- But who did Blomberg’s philanthropic arms tap in the country?It’s not a foundation, an NGO, PO or church organization. It is a government agency itself...That’s why consumers, academics, and some political leaders are up in arms against such an intrusive, collusive, and detrimental philanthropic posturing.
2021 Mar - 10 reasons why blanket bans of e-cigarettes and HTPs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not fit for purpose
- In 2020, The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), a Bloomberg partner for ‘The Initiative to reduce tobacco use’, published its fourth position statement on e-cigarettes. In it, The Union called for a blanket ban on all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- This document presents 10 reasons why The Union's proposal to impose a multi-continental ban on e-cigarettes and HTPs has the potential to cause significantly more harm than good.
- 1. Bans are an overly simplistic solution to a complex issue and will not work
- 2. Prioritising the banning of reduced harm alternatives over cigarettes is illogical
- 3. Reduction and substitution are valid goals for smokers in LMICs
- 4. People who smoke have the right to choose to reduce their own risk of harm
- 5. Reduced harm alternatives can significantly contribute to the aims of global tobacco control
- 6. Lack of research in LMICs is not a valid reason to ban reduced harm alternatives
- 7. The prohibitionist approach in LMICs is outdated, unrealistic and condescending
- 8. Bans in LMICs will lead to illicit markets with increases in crime and no tax revenue
- 9. Banning reduced harm alternatives leads people back to smoking and greater harm
- 10. Blanket bans in LMICs are a form of ‘philanthropic colonialism’
- Global organisations such as the WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Union wield great influence in LMICs through sponsorship of healthcare programs and public initiatives. This influence manifests itself through top-down policymaking approaches, telling LMICs what is best for them. To put it bluntly, policies such as these inherently view the inhabitants of LMICs as second-class citizens. These are policy decisions that do not consider individuals, their rights, and their battle to quit or reduce and the difficulties involved. It is wrong to deny more than a billion tobacco users, most of those in LMICs, a voice and a choice. Consumers have the right to be heard.
2021 Mar 16 - Vapers in LMICs Condemn Prohibitions Driven by Western Interests
- On May 27, 2020, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease published a statement in anticipation of World No Tobacco Day: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) should prohibit vapes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). The influential NGO, headquartered in Paris and colloquially known as The Union, is meant to be “working to improve health for people” in LMICs. It receives substantial funding from Michael Bloomberg...
- Another Bloomberg-backed group, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its lobbying arm, the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund (CTFK / TFKAF), spend a significantly more money abroad in LMICs than it does in the States. And ludicrously, the World Health Organization (WHO), an agency with a long history of accepting Bloomberg’s charity, has yet to embrace e-cigarettes as safer than combustibles.
2021 Mar 16 - INNCO Opposes Bloomberg's "Philanthropic Colonialism"
2021 Mar 16 - INNCO Eviscerates Bloomberg Ban Document
2021 Mar 22 - Ban on Safer Nicotine Products in LMICs to Inflame Smoking Epidemic--Asian Consumers
- "We believe that awareness of and access to reduced-harm products is a fundamental human right, and that denial of this right will prevent significant health benefits in LMICs," Consumer groups in the Asia-Pacific region warned that a blanket ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) in low- and middle-income countries, as proposed by an anti-tobacco non-government organization funded by Bloomberg, will only inflame the smoking epidemic and result in higher death toll from smoking-related diseases.
- Keywords: The Union, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Initiative to reduce tobacco use, MPOWER, WHO,
- Alternative link to article
2021 Feb 2 - Bloomberg’s Philanthro-Colonialism: A Threat to Global Health and Science
- For years, Bloomberg has dedicated considerable amounts to fund a web of financially-linked nonprofits, universities, and activists, coordinating their international effort to foment panic over vaping and coerce governments into adopting rules that get as close to prohibition as possible.
- In accordance with Bloomberg’s agenda, these groups have directed a significant amount of their energy on low- and middle-income countries. Using their money, clout, and connections, they impose their views and will on these nations, without the input of local populations and with little or no regard for their specific circumstances, needs, and values. In the midst of a wave of interest in “decolonializing” public health, this sort of patronizing interference, well-intentioned though it may be, deserves scrutiny.
- In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, for which the international health community was woefully unprepared, it has become clearer than ever how important it is that health policies be based on evidence rather than politics. That an individual like Bloomberg can co-opt governments, health organizations, and institutions into supporting his agenda despite the evidence should alarm everyone, no matter where they live.
- Spanish Translation
- Bloomberg Initiative, *The Union, Bloomberg Foundation, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , World Health Organization (WHO)
2013 Jul 29 - Philanthropic Colonialism
- Article is not about Bloomberg, but does give some thought provoking input on what philanthropic colonialism is.
- “barging in as outsiders and forcing… solutions on other people’s problems.”
Malaysia
Maldives
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Myanmar
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Nepal
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Pakistan
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
Philippines
2021 Jun 2 - DepEd now part of PH’s Smoke-Free Movement
- The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Social Watch Philippines (SWP) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in a bid to shift to high gear the two parties’ “aggressive” campaign for a smoke-free Philippines.
- NOTE: Social Watch Philippines has received Bloomberg funded tobacco control grants
2021 Apr 28 - Legislators lambaste influential foreign NGOs for ignoring Philippine sovereignty
- According to Nograles, several government agencies have received a total of US$2.5M from The Union, which is funded by the anti-tobacco advocacy Bloomberg Initiative.
- 2009: Department of Health received US$742,441 for the development and enforcement of local government smoke-free ordinances.
- 2010: Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) received US$206,701 for the development and enforcement of local government smoke-free ordinances.
- 2010: DOH received US$369,877 for tobacco control policies, the same year the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and DOH Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2010-01 was issued.
- 2012: MMDA received US$180,000 for smoke-free city ordinances.
- 2013: DOH received US$150,000 for the implementation of tobacco control policies.
- 2013: CSC received US$150,000 to raise awareness of and compliance with the policy to exclude tobacco industry interference.
- 2014: DOH received US$192,000 for the National Tobacco Control Strategy.
- 2015: DepEd received US$158,039 for its tobacco advertising ban campaign.
- 2016: CSC received US$183,695.
- 2016: MMDA received US$160,000.
- “The FDA has conducted multiple researches and consultations with different groups, and these groups they consulted with are also funded by The Union and Bloomberg Initiative. There have been multiple instances wherein every time there is an anti-tobacco regulation that comes out of either the FDA or DOH, it coincides with grants coming from Bloomberg,” Nograles noted.
2021 Apr 12 - Bloomberg Anti-Nicotine Lobby Among US Backers of Duterte’s Drug War
- Red-tagging is a threatened death sentence to anyone critical of the actions of the Philippine government. Red-tagging lists, featuring the names and faces of people being targeted, are posted on the doors of neighborhood buildings and on social media by Philippine police, military or connected vigilantes. Their message is clear: Quit speaking out or die.
- “It’s hard to believe that Bloomberg Philanthropies and its affiliated tobacco control organizations, The Union and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), didn’t realize that the grants being awarded to enforce tobacco bans in the Philippines (some with unsettlingly aggressive titles such as “Greater Teeth and Tools: Enforcing and Implementing the Tobacco Regulation Act”) could be used to add a further crackdown to the extrajudicial arrests, incarcerations and killings already taking place.”
- “But the truth is, Bloomberg and affiliates were quite aware of what they were doing. This was revealed in October 2020, during public talks hosted by the Philippine FDA (P-FDA) on the topic of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Filipino citizens and stakeholders in attendance voiced concern that the P-FDA authorities charged with making decisions about nicotine policies had been awarded grants by the Bloomberg Initiative and The Union”
2020 May 31 - World No Tobacco Day
- Join us as we celebrate World No Tobacco Day through an online concert brought to you by Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, Child Rights Network (CRN) Philippines, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), and Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with Action for Economic Reforms, HealthJustice Philippines, Health Rights Watch, and Social Watch Philippines
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
2012 Mar 23 - Why Mike Bloomberg loves this Pinoy group
- Health Justice (Philippines) gets a grant from Mike Bloomberg to implement its tobacco control plans
- This same night that philanthropist and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced giving US$220M more for the global work on eliminating tobacco use --bringing his total commitment to $600 million -- he recognized HealthJustice Philippines for its contribution to the cause.
- The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use is the world's largest coordinated effort to reduce harm caused by tobacco globally. The MMDA smoking ban program is, in fact, a recipient of a P9.5-M grant from the Bloomberg Initiative.
- Bloomberg, since he became mayor of New York in 2002, has implemented strict tobacco control laws. In 2007, he launched the Bloomberg Initiative, as part of the Bloomberg Philanthrophies, and has since supported tobacco control work in 38 countries.
FDA Scandal (Philippine)
- 2021 Jun 22 - Filipino lawmakers flag violations on FDA’s receipt of money from foreign NGO
- “It was so obvious that the donation was made to influence the FDA that was tantamount to bribery. We could not be puppets of institutions that are not even Filipinos. This is not only a violation of the laws that we have, it is a violation of our Constitution,” Garin said.
- 2021 Jun 9 - FDA hit for getting funds from anti-smoking advocates; 'discriminatory' policies vs tobacco industry
- 2021 May 6 - Consumers express alarm over foreign charities’ attempts to defy PH sovereignty
- 2021 May 6 - Filipino consumers denounce foreign charities’ violation of country’s sovereignty
- 2021 Apr 21 - Groups ask DOH, FDA to stop soliciting Bloomberg money
- “The FDA, an attached agency of the DOH which was tasked to prepare the implementing guidelines for the regulation of vapor products and HTPs, should have not approached and collected money from The Union and Bloomberg Philanthropies in the first place, because these organizations were known for advancing their own anti-vaping agenda globally,”
- "The FDA should prove its independence by drafting regulations that are fair to smokers, vapers and consumers. We hope that the FDA will recognize our rights as consumers of safer and innovative products.”
- "Congress should consider passing laws that prohibit foreign non-government organizations with vested interests from providing grants to regulatory agencies in the Philippines"
- 2021 Mar 26 - Grubby Money Corrupts Vape Legislation
- Last year, the FDA was cast under a cloud when it emerged it had already received “questionable” Bloomberg money, after first denying they had received funds with an agreement to implement certain policies against tobacco harm reduction products. They didn't admit it until after being called out and presented with the evidence. They admitted to actively seeking funding from out of the country NGO's. An investigation was called. None of this made any difference as the Administration decided to plough on with its proposals despite the public consultation remaining unfinished. Representitive Estrellita Suansing called the move “premature” and “deplorable”. The FDA said the NTCP which is under the Department of Health is also receiving grants for the project. The FDA received a grant from Bloomberg with regards to strengthening its regulatory functions on tobacco control. The articles and blogs below tell the story...
- Keywords from the linked articles:
- The Union
- Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program
- Global Implementation Programme (by The Union)
- STOP
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK)
- World Health Organization
- Asian Development Bank
- 2021 Mar 19 - FDA admits hiring people to draft regulations on vapes using anti-tobacco money
- 2021 Mar 17 - Foreign NGO pushing for ban of cigarette alternatives funded drafting of PH regulations
- 2021 Mar 17 - FDA admits getting over $150,000 from anti-tobacco NGO to regulate vapes
- 2021 Mar 17 - Total ban on flavored vapor products pushed
- 2021 Mar 10 - Suansing calls ‘deplorable’ FDA’s premature issuance of vape, HTP regulations
- 2021, Mar 3 - Philippine government warned against NGOs banned by India===
- Consumer groups warned the Philippine government against non-government organizations (NGOs) such as those linked to Bloomberg Philanthropies that were banned by India for providing grants to lobby for local policies. The Union, which has co-managed the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program, confirmed on its website that it has been working with the DOH since July, 2010
- 2021 Feb 2 - Bloomberg’s Philanthro-Colonialism: A Threat to Global Health and Science
- 2021 Jan 27 - Bloomberg faces mounting pressure to explain FDA funding
- 2020 Oct 23 - Philippines: Public Consultations on Vapes Halted as FDA Hid Funding
- 2020 Oct 20 - Consumer group eyes filing graft charges against FDA
- 2020 Oct 15 - Bloomberg’s War Chest Probed
- 2020 Oct 11 - House leader seeks probe on grants given to FDA by anti-tobacco groups
Respirator Scandal - Unintended Consequences (Philippines)
- What happens when the powerful help bread so much hate and contempt for an industry, that the industry is shunned when they can help in a world-wide crisis?
- 2021 Jun 10: 370 respirators donated by tobacco industry rotting in DOH warehouse
- “This is criminal negligence. These respirators could have saved lives. My district in Cagayan De Oro which has one of the highest cases of Covid in the country badly needs these respirators,” an aghast Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez told the House Committee on Good Government.
- The reason the DOH cited for holding on to the donated respirators is the Joint DOH- Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular 2010-01 signed by then CSC chair now DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III prohibiting government interaction with the tobacco industry which includes receipt of donations.
- The discovery of the rotting respirators surfaced during the public hearing conducted by the House Committee on Good Government on reports that the DOH and the Food and Drug Administration received money from anti-tobacco, foreign interest groups led by the Bloomberg Initiative. “It is sad that the DOH prioritized the advocacy of foreigners at the expense of the lives of Filipino people,” Nograles said.
Vaccine Scandal - Unintended Consequences (Philippines)
- A law from 2010 would have banned several large companies, including the tobacco industry, from procuring Covid-19 vaccinations. 1/2 of those were to be administered to employees and 1/2 to the public.
- 2021 Apr 25 - Bloomberg Blasted for Using Billions to Block Vaccines for Tobacco Company Workers
- Earlier this year, the government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte came under intense fire for denying tobacco companies access to COVID-19 vaccines imported by the government in partnership with the private sector for employee vaccination programs. The Duterte administration’s decision was based on a 10-year-old policy forbidding government officials from interacting with the tobacco industry. That rule was adopted shortly after the Philippines’ Department of Health and Civil Service Commission received what The Manila Standard described as “massive grants” from Bloomberg’s anti-tobacco Bloomberg Initiative.
- Article then moves on to Bloomberg's environmental activities in the USA
- 2021 Mar 30 = Filipino lawmaker asks WHO to respect rights of companies to get Covid-19 vaccines
- 2021 Mar 26 - Grubby Money Corrupts Vape Legislation
- 2021 Mar 23 - Lawmakers ask gov’t to repeal ‘unlawful’ CSC circular against tobacco companies
- Several lawmakers pushed for the immediate repeal of a controversial joint memorandum circular issued by then Civil Service Commission chair Francisco Duque in 2010 following the receipt of grant money from a US lobby group that is now being used as the basis to prohibit tobacco companies from purchasing vaccines for their employees and dependents.
- JMC 2010-01, which prohibits government officials and employees from interacting with the tobacco industry, was issued in the same year the DOH and the CSC received massive grants from the anti-tobacco NGO Bloomberg Initiative. It was the basis of the DOH’s initial draft regulation barring tobacco companies from obtaining and donating COVID-19 vaccines.
- Nograles, in a public hearing last week, revealed that JMC 2010-01 was issued by the CSC and the DOH in 2010, the same year the DOH received a huge financial grant from the anti-tobacco NGO Bloomberg Initiative. Secretary Francisco Duque III was the chairman of the CSC, after his tenure as DOH secretary, when the JMC was issued. “It has been revealed that foreign money has been influencing policy making in the DOH for quite some time. In fact, the Congressional hearing revealed at least $2 million in lobby money that has influenced policy coming from Bloomberg alone,” Nograles said. Nograles said the proposed restriction was obviously pushed on the basis of Duque’s deal with Bloomberg and it showed that DOH policies “have already been compromised by foreign money.”
- “We should not be misdirected by these interest-groups that instead of helping our country in our time of need, work to set us against each other,” Barbers said.
- 2021 Mar 22 - Lobby money linked to DOH order excluding tobacco firms from vaccination
Sri Lanka
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Thailand
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2021 THE DIGITAL ECONOMY MINISTER CRUSADING TO LEGALIZE VAPING IN THAILAND
- One research organization at Thammasat University in Bangkok has been given grants as part of a $20 million global project by Michael Bloomberg’s charity Bloomberg Philanthropies to “monitor” tobacco regulations and push for bans on alternative technologies like vaping.
- This follows Michael Bloomberg’s efforts at depriving adoption of harm-reducing nicotine products in developing countries like the Philippines, India, and others.
- The effort to legalize vaping, however, will come with significant opposition. Both domestic doctor groups and the FCTC, as well as Bloomberg’s foundation, have put pressure on the government to enforce a continued ban on vaping products.
Ukraine
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
UK
United States
2021 Apr 27 - A Menthol Cigarette Ban Would Perpetuate the Racist War on Drugs
- In 2013 a coalition of health “charities” funded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, initiated a citizen petition requesting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes. But, after years of ignoring the petition, the coalition—now joined by the NAACP and others—sued to force the FDA to respond, which experts believe the agency will do in the next few weeks.
- Referenced Petition: Citizen Petition Asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Prohibit Menthol as a Characterizing Flavor in Cigarettes
- Written by: The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium. The Consortium’s affiliated legal centers include ChangeLab Solutions in Oakland, California; the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation & Advocacy at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland; the Tobacco Control Resource Center, a project of the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts; the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project at the Center for Social Gerontology in Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Public Health Law Center at the William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota; the Tobacco Control Policy and Legal Resource Center at New Jersey GASP in Summit, New Jersey; and the Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy at New England Law in Boston, Massachusetts, which provides technical assistance to communities in the state of New York. All of the Consortium’s affiliated legal centers join this petition.
- Signed by: National Latino Alliance for Health Equity, Dr. Valerie B. Yerger (individually - Naturopathic Doctor and Health Policy Researcher at the University of California, San Francisco - Board member, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council - Board member, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights - Board member, National African American Tobacco Prevention Network **Dr. Yerger’s organizational affiliations are included for identification purposes only), National Association of City and County Health Officials, NAATPN, Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Corporate Accountability International, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ((CTFK),) American Public Health Association, Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence, c/o UMDNJ — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Tobacco Dependence Program, American Lung Association, Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL), American Legacy Foundation, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society — Cancer Action Network, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Cancer Research, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council,
2021 Mar 10 - California: BLOOMBERG SPENDS ON ANTI-TOBACCO REFERENDUM
- Michael Bloomberg has ponied up $667,000 for the campaign defending a ban on flavored tobacco products in California. Bloomberg’s money is going to The Committee to Protect California Kids, a coalition of groups including the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, PAVe (Parents Against Vaping e-Cigarettes) and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) .
2019 Oct 3 - Conservative Groups Urge President Trump To Protect Vapers from Flavored Product Ban
- Billionaires like former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg have long attempted to curtail individual rights and consumer freedom in the United States. He has already committed nearly $1 billion to anti-tobacco efforts globally, in seeking to influence organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and fund research that demonizes adult smokers and adult vapers. On September 10, he announced a $160 million push to ban flavored e-cigarettes in America. Given your administration’s historic accomplishments and deregulatory agenda, it would be a mistake to allow HHS and the FDA to take marching orders from activists like Mike Bloomberg.
Vietnam
2021 Jan 29 - Vietnam Urged to Set its Own THR Rules
- The International Network of Nicotine Consumers Organizations (INNCO) is urging the Vietnamese government to exercise “true independence” in its regulation of tobacco harm reduction (THR) products, warning that failure to adopt evidence-based guidelines will lead to substandard products and economic development losses.
- INNCO’s concerns stem from the possibility that regulations will be drafted by the Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund, a long-time grantee of The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (*The Union), a Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded organization that has repeatedly called for worldwide bans on all electronic nicotine delivery systems and other THR products in low- and middle-income countries.
2017 June 28 - Public Health Team Q&A: Recent wins in tobacco control globally and in the US
- Currently, the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (BI) focuses on 10 priority countries (India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ukraine) and it supports the implementation of the WHO MPOWER policies – a set of evidence based policies such as smoke-free public places and advertising bans. Other areas of work include, holding the tobacco industry accountable, using global communications efforts to keep tobacco control on the global public health agenda, and further deepening support for tobacco taxes.
Funding Anti-Nicotine NGO's, Organizations, Groups, Projects, Causes, etc.
Multiple Nations
Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines
2013 Dec 15 - FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF TOBACCO CONTROL MEASURES: POTENTIAL OF INNOVATIVE FINANCING
- Several references to Bloomberg, Gates, etc.
2008 Global Smoke Free Partnership
- Many of the countries that have received Bloomberg Initiative funding are listed here, even if the legislation is currently quite weak. It implies that momentum for comprehensive legislation is building
American Cancer Society (ACS) / American Cancer Society Action Network (ACSCAN)
2019 Sep 10 - ACS Press Release: Bloomberg Philanthropies Launches New $160 Million Program to End the Youth E-Cigarette Epidemic
- The three-year program will be led by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), which will partner with other leading organizations including parent and community groups concerned about the nation’s kids and health.
- “The American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network are proud to join Bloomberg Philanthropies and our public health partners in this new campaign to work to reverse the youth e-cigarette epidemic across the country by prohibiting flavored tobacco products including e-cigarettes and compelling the FDA to swiftly exercise its authority granted by Congress to aggressively regulate all tobacco products."
- Keywords: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Action Network ACS / ACSCAN, Truth Initiative, American Lung Association, CDC Foundation, American Heart Association, CVS Health, American Academy of Pediatrics
2018 Jul - The American Cancer Society Public Health Statement on Eliminating Combustible Tobacco Use in the United States
Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund
2017 - (CTFK): EXCLUDE TOBACCO PRODUCTS FROM TRADE AGREEMENTS
- In March 2015, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced the Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund, a joint venture managed by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. This initiative provides financial and technical legal support to low- and middle-income countries that are facing claims, or threats of claims, against their tobacco control laws by the tobacco industry under international trade and investment agreements.
2015: Bloomberg Philanthropies & The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Launch Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund
Burning Brain Society (India)
Wikipedia
2007 - Burning Brain Society
- Archived Version (Way Back Machine)
- Bloomberg Initiative To Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program - See "India" (Note: On April 10, 2021 5:30am CST this link is not working. Reviewing the main page, it works, but the links to "Previously Funded Projects" and "Bloomberg Initiative Partners" are no longer working.)
- Monitoring and Exposing Tobacco Industry Malpractice and disseminating that information to the media, law-enforcers and decision-makers in India. Oct 2007 - Dec 2008
(CTFK / TFKAF) Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund
Nonprofit Explorer Research Tax-Exempt Organizations
- TOBACCO FREE KIDS ACTION FUND (TFKAF) - TAX-EXEMPT SINCE MAY 1996
- Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501(c)(4)
Nonprofit Explorer Research Tax-Exempt Organizations
- CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS (CTFK) - TAX-EXEMPT SINCE MAY 1996
- Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501(c)(3)
The International Legal Consortium (ILC)
- The International Legal Consortium (ILC) is a team of lawyers who provide technical assistance on tobacco control legislation and litigation to governments and civil society organizations around the world to promote strong, evidence-based tobacco control policies founded on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
2021 Jun 23: Matt Myers in 2003 and Today: A Pertinacious Tobacco Prohibitionist
- Myers is a tobacco prohibitionist. He gave lip service to THR in 2003, feigning support for THR contingent upon FDA regulation, as he expected to make it nearly impossible for manufacturers to convince the FDA that they had safer smoke-free products. When companies twice succeeded, he reneged on his Congressional testimony and trashed the FDA.
2021 Jun 15: Exposed: Bloomberg’s Anti-Tobacco Meddling in Developing Countries
- Extensive Report
2020, Jun 8 - Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Anti-Drug Warriors’ Crocodile Tears
- Funded in large part by Michael Bloomberg, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ostensibly exists to reduce smoking among adolescents. In practice, it exists to push local, state, and federal governments—in the U.S. and around the world—to enact high taxes, regulatory policies, and criminal penalties surrounding the sale, possession, and use of tobacco products. Put another way, they have spent the last 25 years trying to make tobacco a target of the War on Drugs, which already encompasses marijuana, hallucinogens, and narcotics. Anti-tobacco activists, like the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids are anti-drug warriors. Their drug of disdain is nicotine.
2020, Mar 31 - Anti-Vaping Group Suspends Plan to Pay For ‘Mom Tweets’
- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), a group funded in large part by Bloomberg Philanthropies, has suspended a social media “pay-for-play” marketing push that would have given moms $250 to send out anti-vaping messages in their personal feeds.
- “We’re looking for influencers to do 3 social shares on their platform… across 6 weeks, starting March 18,” the pitch said. And the right people — moms with 4,000 or more social media followers and at least one kid between the ages of 9 and 18 — would get paid $250 sending out three tweets over six weeks.
- Another requirement to collect the marketing money? “Confirm that you have never recommended e-cigarettes as a means to quit smoking.” This is an odd request for a group that purportedly wants to reduce the number of smokers, given the studies showing vaping is one of the most successful smoking-cessation options.
- Julie Gunlock of the Independent Women’s Forum isn’t surprised anti-vaping groups are targeting women. “Fear is one of the biggest motivators for moms,” she told InsideSources. “Women respond to these messages because they fear for their children. Which means that moms in the ‘stroller brigades’ as they’re known are the perfect candidates for spreading those fears.”
2019, Sep 10 - A New Effort to End an E-Cigarette 'Epidemic'
- Bloomberg Philanthropies announced Tuesday it is joining forces with the nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) on a $160 million initiative.
2017-2018 - $49,970 to Tax Justice Network
- Did a report with them in 2019
2017 - CTFK: EXCLUDE TOBACCO PRODUCTS FROM TRADE AGREEMENTS
- In March 2015, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced the Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund, a joint venture managed by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. This initiative provides financial and technical legal support to low- and middle-income countries that are facing claims, or threats of claims, against their tobacco control laws by the tobacco industry under international trade and investment agreements.
Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use
- Since 2007, Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and former mayor of New York City, has committed nearly $1 billion to combat tobacco use worldwide, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) is one of the partner organizations that coordinate activities under this initiative, which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and known as the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.
- As part of this initiative, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) provides legal, communications and research support to governments and non-governmental organizations around the world to assist in promoting, adopting and implementing tobacco control policies. Also as part of this initiative, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) works with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) to provide grants to governments and non-governmental organizations in low- and middle-income countries to accelerate progress in tobacco control.
- Other partners in this initiative are:
- CDC Foundation
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- World Health Organization
- Vital Strategies
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)
- University of Illinois at Chicago
2008 - CTFK Annual Report - 2008
- Donors 16-18/24. Includes donations to CTFK AND TFKAF (Action Fund) (Not page numbers, they are document numbers)
- Partners 29-21/24. (Not page numbers, they are document numbers)
2006 Nov 2 - Michael Bloomberg Announces Grantees of $125 Million Initiative to Promote Freedom from Smoking
- Michael R. Bloomberg today named the five key partner organizations, which will implement his initiative, coordinating activities and providing grants to other organizations to promote freedom from smoking. The partners are the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Lung Foundation. Bloomberg’s $125 million, two-year contribution is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control and more than doubles the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two thirds of the world’s smokers live. All of the resources are dedicated outside the United States to specifically benefit low- and middle-income countries.
1997 May 14 - National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids Launches World Wide Web Site
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK)
- Other interesting features of the Web site include:... Interactive Calendar, featuring tobacco-related events of more than 120 member organizations...
1996 Feb 13 - New Umbrella Group Created For Tobacco-Free Children
- Anti-tobacco groups announced yesterday the creation of a new umbrella organization based in Washington to sponsor, coordinate and encourage efforts to stop children from smoking, sniffing and chewing tobacco. The National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, is being set up with a $20 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, $10 million from the American Cancer Society, and several smaller donations from other groups like the American Medical Association and the American Heart Association. (Learn more about RWJF here)
- Many of the same groups had previously supported the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), a lobbying group set up last fall to support the Food and Drug Administration's proposal to sharply restrict the sale, distribution and marketing of tobacco products.
1996 to 2007 - Program Results Report / An RWJF Collection
- Full Report here.
- (CTFK / TFKAF) promotes policy and environmental changes that will prevent and reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, especially among children, as well as changes that will minimize the harm caused by tobacco. Other funders include the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- William Novelli, co-founder of the social marketing firm Porter Novelli, served as CTFK's first president. Matt Myers, a civil rights attorney and former executive director of the Coalition on Tobacco OR Health, joined CTFK at the same time as vice president; he became president in 1999 when Novelli resigned to become the CEO of AARP.
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation established the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids in 1995. (Learn more about RWJF here)
- RWJF provided startup funds through grants to Development Communications Associates ($267,676) and the American Cancer Society ($489,890).
- January 1996 RWJF's Board of Trustees authorized $20 million for five years for the start-up of the Center.
- Renamed Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) in 1996)
- Launched Kick Butts Day in 1996
- Created Youth Advocates of the Year in 1998
- January 1999, the Board authorized an additional $50 million for a five-year period to continue the work of the Center.
- Launched Faith United Against Tobacco in 2002 to mobilize faith communities of all denominations to support proven solutions to reduce smoking.
- October 2003, the Board authorized an additional $14 million for a three-year period to continue the work of the Center.
CDC Foundation
2006 Nov 2 - Michael Bloomberg Announces Grantees of $125 Million Initiative to Promote Freedom from Smoking
- Michael R. Bloomberg today named the five key partner organizations, which will implement his initiative, coordinating activities and providing grants to other organizations to promote freedom from smoking. The partners are the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Lung Foundation. Bloomberg’s $125 million, two-year contribution is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control and more than doubles the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two thirds of the world’s smokers live. All of the resources are dedicated outside the United States to specifically benefit low- and middle-income countries.
Data for Health Initiative
- Today, approximately half of all deaths in the world go unrecorded, and health policy decisions are often based on inadequate information. Data for Health helps low- and middle-income countries collect better public health data.
Australia
- Global Health Information Infrastructure: $100m Philanthropic Grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies
- A new paradigm for aid programs is being realised today with the announcement by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Australian government of the $100m Data for Health initiative. In the first phase of this initiative, the University of Melbourne has received a $10 million philanthropic grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to provide the principal technical guidance in establishing the Data for Health initiative.
United States
- Data for Health Initiative
- CDC is collaborating with Bloomberg Philanthropies, CDC Foundation, and other partners to work toward strengthening public health systems in low- to middle-income countries across Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Framework Convention Tobacco Control (FCTC) (Framework Convention Alliance)
Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC)
- The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) serves as the WHO FCTC Secretariat's Knowledge Hub on Article 5.3 for the protection against tobacco industry interference globally.
- Parent Organizations:
- School of Global Studies, Thammasat University
- Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance ( SEATCA )
- Partners
- Bloomberg Philanthropies STOP
- Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)
- The Union
- University of Bath
- Vital Strategies
- WHO FCTC Secretariat
- Parent Organizations:
Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI)
- The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), a program of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , draws on lessons from tobacco control and its growing experience on other public health issues to support policy change campaigns around the globe to improve health. To date, that work includes food policy and cardiovascular health, road safety, drowning prevention, preventing epidemics, and vital statistics.
- As part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Food Policy Program (FPP), GHAI supports civil society organizations to pass and implement key policies to develop healthier food environments, including: taxes on unhealthy food and beverage products; mandatory front-of-package nutrition warning labels; restrictions on marketing of unhealthy food products to children; and regulating the supply of unhealthy products in public sector environments, particularly schools. GHAI is also a partner on Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), an initiative of Vital Strategies that seeks to prevent millions of deaths from cardiovascular disease through regulations to ban industrially produced trans-fatty acides (TFA), sodium reduction strategies, and other policies.
HealthJustice Phillipines
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
- 2017 July: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) launches with the goal of providing an impartial, evidence-based picture of global health trends to inform the work of policymakers, researchers, and funders. Main supporters are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the state of Washington.
Think Global Health
- Think Global Health is an initiative of the Council on Foreign Relations in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation IHME at the University of Washington. Think Global Health was made possible by a generous grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
- Council on Foreign Relations list Michael Bloomberg as a donor and also Bloomberg Philanthropies as a donor on it's 2019-2020 Annual Report
2019: Assessment of Tobacco Use and Control MEXICO
- As part of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública of Mexico (INSP) have conducted a comprehensive assessment of tobacco control policies in Mexico’s 32 states, examining their implications for tobacco use and its associated health outcomes.
2017: Nearly 1 billion people still smoke daily
- A new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) was published today (April 5, 2017) in The Lancet. The study was funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Lancet / GBD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2006 Nov 2 - Michael Bloomberg Announces Grantees of $125 Million Initiative to Promote Freedom from Smoking
- Michael R. Bloomberg today named the five key partner organizations, which will implement his initiative, coordinating activities and providing grants to other organizations to promote freedom from smoking. The partners are the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Lung Foundation. Bloomberg’s $125 million, two-year contribution is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control and more than doubles the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two thirds of the world’s smokers live. All of the resources are dedicated outside the United States to specifically benefit low- and middle-income countries.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health - Institute for Global Tobacco Control
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health - Global Tobacco Control
- globaltobaccocontrol.org provides online resources, including free online trainings, research-based reports and guides, and information on the capacity building programs of the Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC) within the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- IGTC’s mission is to prevent death and disease from tobacco products by generating evidence to support effective tobacco control interventions. Operating within the three-pillar framework of knowledge generation, synthesis and translation; evaluation and surveillance; and capacity building, IGTC’s seeks to reduce tobacco use globally.
- globaltobaccocontrol.org is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies as a part of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.
MPOWER
STOP
- STOP is a partnership between the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and Vital Strategies (The Union), with US $20 million in funding to launch the partnership from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
2019: Crooked Nine
2018: Major funding announcement puts Bath TCRG at centre of new $20 million global industry watchdog
- Keywords: Bloomberg, STOP, Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG), Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), TobaccoTactics (website), Professor Anna Gilmore, Professor Jonathan Knight
The Union (International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease)
Tobacco Online Policy Seminar (TOPS)
- Over the past 10 years, executive board members received funding from the following organizations for tobacco research:
- Maclean: American Cancer Society, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health Pesko: American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and the University of Kentucky’s Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise
- Shang: American Heart Association, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, Presbyterian Health Foundation, Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, World Heart Federation
- White: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Alameda County Public Health Department, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Cancer Center UK, Hellman Family Foundation, International Development Research Centre, National Institutes of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Learn more about RWJF here), UCOP Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program
University of Bath
The Investigative Desk
- "The Investigative Desk is an independent platform for investigative journalism, focusing on large international industrial sectors such as defence & security, energy, food, pharmaceuticals & health care, and tobacco."
- ...from the Investigative Desk with support from the University of Bath...here, and here, for example.
- Report (Note people involved)
- Journalists criticize research on COVID-19 by confusing it with tobacco harm reduction and by making false allegations about conflicts
Tobacco Control Research Group
- Tobacco Control Research Group members
- Major funding announcement puts Bath TCRG at centre of new $20 million global industry watchdog
- With significant funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, our Tobacco Control Research Group will spearhead a brand new global tobacco industry watchdog.
2021 Dr Rob Branston
- Dr Rob Branston is Associate Professor in Business Economics in the School of Management and part of the Tobacco Control Research Group, at the University of Bath(link is external) in the UK. His primary research interests surround the governance and regulation of organisations, with a particular focus on the regulation and taxation of the global tobacco industry. Disclaimer: Dr Branston is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products. The funder had no role in the preparation of or decision to publish this editorial.
2019 Dec 17: Supplementary Terms and Conditions of Contract
- In order to ensure the University of Bath can comply with its obligations in the end contract with the Foundation, the Contractor confirms it will comply with the following project-specific terms and conditions
- Foundation means Bloomberg, who is providing the funding to the University for the project that will fund this Contract
- The Contractor shall not make any statement or otherwise imply to donors, investors, media or the general public that the Foundation directly funds its activities
University of Illinois at Chicago
- Tobacconomics is directed by Frank Chaloupka, PhD, and administered by the Institute for Health Research and Policy of the University of Illinois at Chicago.
- University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) ) is a partner of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use
Vital Strategies
- Partners
- We’re grateful to the funders who make our life-saving work possible. Our major funders are:
- Bloomberg Philanthropies, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Fidelity Charitable, Foundation H&B Agerup, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Jewish Communal Fund, National Philanthropic Trust, unicef, USAID United States Agency International Development
- Partnering with Bloomberg Philanthropies to Advance Urban Health
- Vital Strategies, working with World Health Organization (WHO)
- Civil Society, Health and Research Partners
- African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET); Beijing Lisheng Cardiovascular Health Foundation (BLCHF); Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK); CDC Foundation; Clean Air Asia; Climate & Clean Air Coalition; DKI Jakarta; Eastern Africa GEOhealth; El Poder del Consumidor, Mexico; The Global Health Advocacy Incubator; Global New Car Assessment Programme; Global Road Safety Partnership; HEALA Alliance, South Africa; Health Effects Institute; Heart and Stroke Foundation, Barbados; The Heart Foundation of Jamaica; IDEC, Brazil; International Association of Chiefs of Police; Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp; International Road Assessment Programme; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Medical Research Council at University College London; Ministerio de Salud del Perú; National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh; NACTO-GDCI; Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); PATH; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Red PaPaz, Colombia; REDE-TB; SPARTAN; UNICEF Indonesia; The Union; University of Illinois at Chicago; University of North Carolina; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Bank-GRSF; World Health Organization (WHO); World Resources Institute; Yale School of Public Health
- We’re grateful to the funders who make our life-saving work possible. Our major funders are:
World Health Organization (WHO)
2006 Nov 2 - Michael Bloomberg Announces Grantees of $125 Million Initiative to Promote Freedom from Smoking
- Michael R. Bloomberg today named the five key partner organizations, which will implement his initiative, coordinating activities and providing grants to other organizations to promote freedom from smoking. The partners are the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Lung Foundation. Bloomberg’s $125 million, two-year contribution is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control and more than doubles the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two thirds of the world’s smokers live. All of the resources are dedicated outside the United States to specifically benefit low- and middle-income countries.
More Information
World Lung Foundation
- Wikipedia
- WLF is a partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The goal of the Initiative is to reduce tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries, where 80% of the 6 million deaths resulting from tobacco use took place in 2011. WLF = funds and supports mass media ad campaigns on the harmful effects of smoking and other forms of tobacco use. WLF has supported 80 tobacco control mass media campaigns in 20 countries. WLF disbursed millions from Bloomberg Philanthropies to The International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (*The Union), the World Health Organization, the Framework Convention Alliance, and the CDC Foundation to strengthen their tobacco control activities and to support its own mass media programs. Other partners in the Bloomberg Initiative are Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
2006 Nov 2 - Michael Bloomberg Announces Grantees of $125 Million Initiative to Promote Freedom from Smoking
- Michael R. Bloomberg today named the five key partner organizations, which will implement his initiative, coordinating activities and providing grants to other organizations to promote freedom from smoking. The partners are the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Lung Foundation. Bloomberg’s $125 million, two-year contribution is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control and more than doubles the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two thirds of the world’s smokers live. All of the resources are dedicated outside the United States to specifically benefit low- and middle-income countries.
Nicotine Foes - Friends / Associates of Bloomberg
PAVe (Parents Against Vaping e-Cigarettes)
Nonprofit Explorer Research Tax-Exempt Organizations
- PARENTS AGAINST VAPING E-CIGARETTES INC - TAX-EXEMPT SINCE APRIL 2019
- Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501(c)(4)
2021 May 14 - Juul Finds Hell Hath No Fury Like an Army of Really Rich Parents
- Pete Briger is the billionaire co-CEO at Fortress Investment Group. Briger had made a career at Goldman Sachs as a trader in distressed debt, raking in untold sums for the bank and becoming a pre-IPO partner before moving to Fortress and opening an office for the firm in San Francisco.
- David Burke was a former managing director of the Stanford Management Co., where he oversaw private equity and venture capital investments for the university’s endowment. He’d had a long career at Makena Capital Management, an investment management firm he started with another Stanford alum, and he sat on numerous boards, including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the University of Virginia, and Sacred Heart.
- Many people knew Jim Steyer because of his younger brother, Tom, the billionaire founder of the San Francisco hedge fund Farallon Capital Management and a former member of Stanford’s board of trustees. Jim was eminent in his own right, as a civil rights professor at Stanford and longtime advocate for children. A believer in the power of early education to beget a just and thriving society, Steyer had founded a group called Children Now, which helped shape policy in California and across the nation around issues such as access to immunizations and health insurance. Steyer had also long been concerned with youth exposure to sex, violence, and commercialism in media, and in 2003 he’d started another nonprofit, Common Sense Media. Originally a source for movie and media ratings for parents, it had become a grassroots army, with almost 150 million users.
- Meanwhile in New York, a well-connected group of angry mothers whose own children had become all too familiar with Juul began organizing a group that was eventually called Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes, or PAVe.
- Over the next year the fury of powerful parents like Briger, Burke, and Steyer was echoed by more American moms and dads who’d discovered Juul devices stashed in their kids’ backpacks or colorful plastic nicotine pods littering their bedrooms. The tide soon began to turn against Silicon Valley’s most dazzling startup. Briger and Burke donated money to a prominent Stanford researcher who evangelized about the dangers of tobacco use and vaping. Briger also became the first donor to PAVe (Parents Against Vaping e-Cigarettes), which went on to mobilize activists in almost every state to support antivaping laws and influence policy debates about e-cigarettes in city halls and statehouses, and, at least once, in the White House. Steyer and others joined a pitched battle in San Francisco against Juul that resulted in upholding a moratorium on e-cigarette sales in the city, kneecapping the company in its hometown. (Michael Bloomberg, majority owner of Bloomberg LP, which publishes Bloomberg Businessweek, was the largest donor to the campaign.)
- Quoted from an excerpt of The Devil’s Playbook: Big Tobacco, Juul, and the Addiction of a New Generation, by Lauren Etter.
2021 Apr 7: Clear the Vapor Conference 2021: The Way Forward
- Sponsors:
- $50,000 - CVS Health
- $25,000 - Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Truth Initiative
- $10,000 - RESCUE - The Behavior Change Agency
- $5,000 - Soter Technologies
- $2,500 - American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
- Collaborators: African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), CATCH Global Foundatioin, The Center for Black Health and Equity, Stanford Medicine Tobacco Prevention Toolkit
- Speakers, Moderators, and topics:
- PAVe: (See bio's and speaking topics of the PAVe moms on the conference website)
- Dina Alessi
- Meredith Berkman
- Mimi Boublik
- Lori Bremner
- Christina Curell
- Dorian Fuhrman
- Erin King Sweeney, Esq.
- Maren Lopez
- Julie Reinhard
- Opening Keynote:
- Nora D. Volkow, M.D. (Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA))
- Lawmakers Video Comments:
- Richard Blumenthal
- Dick Durbin
- Raja Krishnamoorthi
- Frank Pallone, Jr.
- Mitt Romney
- Other Video Comments:
- Stanton Glantz (retired University of California San Francisco)
- Noah Joshua Phillips (Commissioner Federal Trade Commission)
- The Role of Schools: Best Practices and Innovations -
- Donna K. Crawford (Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools and Communities Program and Healthier Generation’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts funded by the RWJF),
- Jeremy Hansen (Assistant Principal, Achievement Office, Rancho Cucamonga High School),
- Steven Kelder, PhD, MPH (University of Texas, School of Public Health, was a research fellow at CDC, was one of four senior scientific editors of the Surgeon General Report on E-cigarettes and Youth, he created CATCH My Breath - the first evidence-based middle school e-cigarette prevention program),
- Gregg H. Wieczorek (Principal, Arrowhead Union High School, Wisconsin; President-elect, NASSP)
- Youth Addiction and Treatment: Challenges and Opportunities:
- Jonathan Avery, MD (Weill Cornell Medical College)
- Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, PhD, (Yale University School of Medicine, leads the NIH and FDA funded Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science at Yale which is developing scientific evidence to support tobacco regulation. has contributed to the Surgeon General’s report on “Preventing Tobacco Use among Young People”, served as a member of the FDA’s Tobacco Product Scientific Advisory Committee and currently serves on the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health)
- Dr. Monica Wilson (Assistant Professor / Regional DIrector, Psychology Department: National University; California PAVe Volunteer)
- Federal Issues in 2021 and Beyond:
- Mark Gottlieb, JD (Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University {involved with one of the lawsuits against JUUL})
- Robin Koval (Truth Initiative)
- Matthew L. Myers (Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) )
- The Next Trojan Horse: "Wellness" Vapes and Other New Products:
- Dr. Alicia Casey (Boston Children's Hospital, Founded the Pulmonary Vaping Program, Member of the Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on Vapes, Juuls, and other E-Cigarettes)
- Jensen Jose, JD (Center for Science in the Public Interest who is partially funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies) :::Achala Talati, DO, MS, MPH (Director, Tobacco Policy and Programs NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)
- Emerging Health-harms Research:
- Jessica L. Fetterman, PhD (Boston University School of Medicine, American Heart Association Tobacco Regulatory Science and Addiction Center (A-TRAC), Affinity Research Collaborative in Tobacco Regulatory Science)
- Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Director of Tobacco Treatment Clinic at Johns Hopkins)
- Candace McKnight (Orlando Health/ PAVe Florida Advocate, son is an EVALI victim)
- Karen Wilson, MD, MPH (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Tobacco Consortium)
- State Attorneys General and the Use of Litigation:
- Maura Healey (Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General)
- Josh Stein (Attorney General North Carolina
- Fighting Menthol: Past, Present and Future:
- Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher (Stanford University/Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, Her research is funded by the NIH and many foundations)
- Joelle Lester (Public Health Law Center)
- Carol McGruder (African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council)
- The Environmental Impact of E-cigarettes:
- Hudson Kingston (Public Health Law Center)
- Jeremiah Mock (University of California San Francisco)
- Youth Perspective: Ask Us Anything
- Daniel Jeffrey Ament (Fight4Wellness, EVALI victim)
- Gianluca Barecchia
- Jessica Jordan (National LGBT Cancer Network)
- Liv, Deidre Sully, MPH
- How to Speak to Your Child About Vaping
- Dr. Sarper Taskiran (Child Mind Institute; PAVe Advisory Board Member)
- Reaching Spanish-speaking Parents with Youth Vaping Prevention
- Marcela Gaitán, M.P.H., M.A. (The National Alliance for Hispanic Health {The Alliance}, National Hispanic Leadership Network for Tobacco Control {The Network, funded by the CDC}, International Health Training Program at the Pan-American Health Organization {WHO/PAHO})
- Norma Benitez (National Director of the Network of Promotoras and CHWs with Vision y Compromiso,)
- Youth Prevention Efforts in Spanish-Speaking Communities
- Alison K. Herrmann, PhD (UCLA Kaiser Permanenete Center for Health Equity & UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, working on a couple of e-cigarette research projects funded by funded by the California Tobacco Related-Disease Research Program (TRDRP) and National Cancer Institue (NCI) and Vision y Compromiso)
- Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, FAAFP (Chief Medical Officer for Prevention American Heart Association,
- Sponsored Breakout: Tackling the Continuum of Teen Vaping: Prevention, Intervention, & Cessation Messages that Work:
- Jeff Jordan, MA (Rescue - The Behavior Change Agency, Rescue’s work includes the FDA's national tobacco prevention campaign for multicultural teens and its LGBT young adult effort)
- Big Tobacco’s Exploitation of Communities with Health Inequities
- Gabriel Glissmeyer (National LGBT Cancer Network)
- Rae O'Leary, (Missouri Breaks Research on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, testified to the U.S. Congress on the youth e-cigarette epidemic and JUUL’s attempts to target Native people)
- PAVe: (See bio's and speaking topics of the PAVe moms on the conference website)
Nicotine Foes - Efforts tied to CTFK / TFKAF (Who receives Bloomberg funding)
CVS
2016 Mar 19 - CVS Health Foundation Awards Grants to Anti-Smoking Campaigns
- The CVS Health Foundation, in partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), has announced seven grants that are part of a $5 million, five-year commitment to programs aimed at educating young people about the dangers of tobacco.
- Announced on "Kick Butts Day," the initial grants in CVS Health's five-year, $50 million Be the First initiative were awarded through the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Making the Next Generation Tobacco-Free program. Recipients include:
- Southeastern (Connecticut) Regional Action Council
- New Jersey Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy (GASP)
- Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center
- North Carolina Alliance for Health
- National Association of School Nurses
- Arizona UMOM New Day Centers
- Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership
- Press Release
2015 Mar 23 - CVS Health Foundation Launches $5 Million Tobacco-Prevention Effort
- Five-year, $5 million initiative aimed at reducing tobacco use among young people.
- Launched in partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)
- Inaugural round of grants totaling $250,000 awarded to:
- BREATHE California of Los Angeles
- California School-Based Health Alliance
- Health Promotion Council of Southeastern, PA
- Ohio Public Health Partnership
- Press Release
P.S. What about Hale and investors in the project?
2021 Feb 9 - ¿Qué se Esconde Tras la Vapeo-Fobia de Michael Bloomberg?
- What's Hiding Behind Michael Bloomberg's Vaping-Phobia? (Used Google Translate to convert from Spanish to English)
- The problem is that one of the investors in the company is none other than Michael Bloomberg himself . Through a venture capital consortium called Village Global, Bloomberg has provided seed capital to Hava, the creator of Hale.
Photos / Graphics - Nicotine
Bloomberg / Person / Business / Foundation / Initiative / Philanthropies
Finances and Taxes
The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax
Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (Bloomberg Initiative)
Bloomberg Philanthropies
2021 Mar 31 - Mike Bloomberg's foundation kept funding a $220 million global-health initiative after learning of sexual-harassment claims against one of the project's leaders
- Lopez denied these allegations, but the investigator classified them in a September 2019 report reviewed by Insider as "on the balance of probabilities ... proven," and found that three other allegations from Frederes had elements that could be substantiated.
- See also: Melbourne Uni allowed ‘sexual harasser’ professor to keep jobs
- Professor Lopez, 69, was chief epidemiologist for the World Health Organization / Organisation's (WHO) tobacco control program during the 1990s.
- Keywords: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies, University of Melbourne, Data for Health Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO), John Hopkins University, CDC Foundation, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)
- Follow up: Melbourne University loses funding partner over sexual harassment case
2020 Bloomberg Philanthropies 2020 Public Health Report
- Highlights the initiatives worked on in many areas of Public Health around the world.
1990 The Portable Bloomberg: The Wit & Wisdom of Michael Bloomberg (from 1990)
- 2020 Article
- This booklet was given to Mike Bloomberg on his 48th birthday in 1990. It was produced by Elisabeth DeMarse, Bloomberg L.P.’s former chief marketing officer. “Yes, these are all actual quotes,” DeMarse wrote in the introduction. “No, nothing has been embellished or exaggerated. And yes, some things were too outrageous to include.”
1999 Michael Bloomberg's Terminal Velocity
- Article about his business endevours, his companies, and the people who work for him.
Questions about Bloomberg's Tobacco Control Efforts
2021 Jul 25: UK report slams Bloomberg for undermining rights of consumers in LMICs
- A report issued by a parliamentary group in the United Kingdom criticized anti-vaping groups funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies for being hostile to tobacco harm reduction (THR) and for diminishing the rights of consumers and vapers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as the Philippines.
- The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping Inquiry (APPG) said these anti-vaping “civil society observers” were allowed to participate in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties 9 (FCTC COP 9) in November this year, concluding that the WHO continues to attempt to discredit UK’s science and policy approach to address the smoking problem. It said THR is a public health approach which is supposedly one of the original commitments of FCTC.
2021 Jun 15: Exposed: Bloomberg’s Anti-Tobacco Meddling in Developing Countries
- Extensive Report
2021 Apr 12 - Bloomberg Anti-Nicotine Lobby Among US Backers of Duterte’s Drug War
- Red-tagging is a threatened death sentence to anyone critical of the actions of the Philippine government. Red-tagging lists, featuring the names and faces of people being targeted, are posted on the doors of neighborhood buildings and on social media by Philippine police, military or connected vigilantes. Their message is clear: Quit speaking out or die.
- “It’s hard to believe that Bloomberg Philanthropies and its affiliated tobacco control organizations, The Union and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , didn’t realize that the grants being awarded to enforce tobacco bans in the Philippines (some with unsettlingly aggressive titles such as “Greater Teeth and Tools: Enforcing and Implementing the Tobacco Regulation Act”) could be used to add a further crackdown to the extrajudicial arrests, incarcerations and killings already taking place.”
- “But the truth is, Bloomberg and affiliates were quite aware of what they were doing. This was revealed in October 2020, during public talks hosted by the Philippine FDA (P-FDA) on the topic of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Filipino citizens and stakeholders in attendance voiced concern that the P-FDA authorities charged with making decisions about nicotine policies had been awarded grants by the Bloomberg Initiative and The Union”
2021 Mar 23 - Bloomberg’s Millions Funded an Effective Campaign Against Vaping. Could It Do More Harm Than Good?
- Sign up for a free account to read above article or see the Web Archive*
- Kenneth Warner, a University of Michigan scholar, says “Michael Bloomberg did some great things for public health, but he is way off base on this.”
- The e-cigarette debate is about social justice as well as public health. Much of the outcry about vaping has come from well-educated, well-to-do, and well-connected parents who want to protect their kids. By contrast, the people that smoke, who might benefit from switching to e-cigarettes, tend to be poor and less educated; people of color, especially Native Americans; gay or lesbian; homeless or incarcerated; and those with mental-health or other substance-abuse issues. They lack political clout.
- The challenge for foundations and nonprofits concerned about health is to act (or choose not to act) amidst contentious debate and scientific uncertainty. For now, virtually all of the philanthropic money driving the conversation — overwhelmingly from Bloomberg but also from the corporate foundation of the drugstore chain CVS -- has come down strongly against vaping.
- Ethan Nadelman, founder of the Drug Policy Alliance, says: “There is essentially no philanthropic funding to support harm reduction.”
- Anti-smoking charities that had cautiously recommended e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking for people who can’t quit reversed themselves. The lung and heart associations and the cancer society all get grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies, either directly or through Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).
- David Sweanor calls the anti-vaping nonprofits Big Tobacco’s Little Helpers.
- Follow the money
- $160 million, three-year anti vaping campaign (USA)
- Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed nearly $1 billion to combating tobacco (nicotine) (Worldwide)
- Bloomberg flexed his financial muscles: He contributed $9.4 million of his own money to the San Francisco anti-vaping campaigns in 2018 and 2019. The American Heart Association gave another $612,000
- Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) gave about $300,000 to a Boston charity called Health Resources in Action
- The Truth Initiative spends about $100 million a year on marketing, advocacy, and research.
- Keywords: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Truth Initiative, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Learn more about RWJF here), Health Resources in Action, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, San Francisco Kids vs. Big Tobacco, Bloomberg Philanthropies,
Response to above article:
First from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), and the Truth Initiative (See first letter on the page) and the second response from Eric N. Lindblom, O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law, and former director of the Office of Policy at FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products from 2011 to 2014 (see second letter on the page): Vaping and Philanthropy: Debating Strategies That Work
A conversation with philanthropy journalist Marc Gunther by: MICHAEL E. HARTMANN
- 2021 Mar 30 - Part 1 of 2
- 2020 Mar 31 - Part 2 of 2
2021 Apr 1 - Holding the Bloomberg anti-vaping propaganda complex to account
- Clive Bates analyzes and responds to the letter to the editor submitted by representatives of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) , and Truth Initiative. In detail he discusses:
- No sign of debate about strategies that work
- Dismissing credible and well-informed critics
- Misunderstanding adolescent vaping
- Misrepresenting the role of flavours in vaping (flavors)
- Baseless claims about the vaping industry
- Alarmist but empty claims about nicotine
- Banning flavoured e-cigarettes – a campaign that is likely to do more harm than good
- Claiming credit for reductions in vaping achieved by misleading claims about lung injuries
- Tobacco control as inflexible dogma locked in the past
- Smears and innuendo
- Displaying basic misunderstandings about tobacco harm reduction
- Missing the point about vaping regulation
- In denial about evidence for smoking cessation but prohibitionist anyway
- Anti-industry war-cry to deflect attention from their own weaknesses
- The question of accountability
- Other relevant material
2021 Feb 2: Bloomberg’s Philanthro-Colonialism: A Threat to Global Health and Science
Reg Watch Bloomberg Series
- 2021 Mar 28: NO SHAME Bloomberg’s War on Vaping Part 1: Samrat Chowdhery
- 2021 Mar 31: CALL IT COLONIALISM Bloomberg’s War on Vaping Part 2: Michelle Minton
- 2021 Apr 3: SCRUTINIZED Bloomberg’s War on Vaping Part 3: Dr. Roberto Sussman
Cities / Roads
GRSP partners with Bloomberg Advocacy incubator
- As a component within the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Programme, GRSP is partnering with the Bloomberg Advocacy Incubator to build the capacity of grantees of the Road Safety Grants Programme, as well as on-the-ground partner organizations such as Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, to effectively advocate for the passage and implementation of evidence-based road safety policies.
- The Bloomberg Advocacy Incubator is a partnership between the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK / TFKAF) and Consumers International, and will draw on its teams’ vast experience in providing training and support to civil society organizations, and in the development and management of institutional and individual capacity building initiatives with grassroots associations, NGOs, media organizations and government agencies.
Crime / Stop and Frisk
2020 Feb 11 - 'Throw Them Against The Wall And Frisk Them': Bloomberg's 2015 Race Talk Stirs Debate
- A federal court in New York in 2013 found that stop and frisk systemically violated the civil rights of tens of thousands of mostly black and Hispanic men in New York. The judge called the practice "indirect racial profiling" of young men of color.
- "I can't change history. History, today, I want you to know that I realize back then, I was wrong," Bloomberg said in November.
Environment
Attorney General Offices
- Left off here on research https://climatelitigationwatch.org/page/2/?s=Bloomberg
AG Background - Start Here
2018 Aug 28 - Law Enforcement for Rent (thorough report)
- Author’s Note: This paper is based on documents obtained over two and a half years from open records requests and, in some cases, subsequent litigation. Due to the volume of records, not all cited records are included in the body of this paper. Key documents are provided in the paper’s appendix, which can be accessed at CEI.org. The complete collection of documents cited in this paper is available at ClimateLitigationWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit public interest law firm Government Accountability & Oversight.
Extensive collection of documents - compliments above article
AG General / Multiple States
2021 Apr 25 - Bloomberg Blasted for Using Billions to Block Vaccines for Tobacco Company Workers
- Since at least 2017, Bloomberg has funneled money to attorneys general offices in nine states and the District of Columbia to essentially underwrite government lawsuits against oil companies. Much of that funding came through New York University law school’s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center. It used a $6 million Bloomberg Philanthropies grant to fund the hiring of “special assistant attorneys general” to help states sue oil companies for their alleged culpability for climate change.
- And despite Bloomberg’s preening about the nobility of his efforts, the AG placement scheme never fully passed the smell test. The Wall Street Journal dubbed it “state AGs for rent.” The Oregon legislature’s top lawyer rule that its state AG’s acceptance of a Bloomberg-funded lawyer was not compliant with state laws and regulations. Even New York had to label Eisenson “a volunteer” to dodge questions and concerns using a privately paid staffer to shape and execute state legal policy.
2020 Feb 18 - Bloomberg’s ‘mercenaries’: Billionaire Dem funding network of climate lawyers inside state AG offices
- The arrangement, which currently pays the salaries of Special Assistant Attorneys General (SAAGs) in 10 Democratic AG offices, is drawing new scrutiny now that Bloomberg is running for president. The New York University School of Law's State Energy & Environmental Impact Center, which was started in 2017 with $5.6 million from Bloomberg's nonprofit, hires mid-career lawyers as "research fellows" before providing them to state AGs where they assist in pursuing "progressive" policy goals through the courts.
2020 Feb 16 - Bloomberg Privately Funds Attorneys in State AG Offices While Running for President
- Michael Bloomberg’s billions aren’t just buying ads. In at least two Super Tuesday states, his money funds private lawyers working inside attorneys general offices, advancing his political agenda on the environment.
- Massachusetts and Minnesota, whose Democratic voters will go to the polls on Super Tuesday, are among at least 10 states where activist attorneys are working for the state AGs offices but are paid through the Impact Center. Their mission is to promote state legal action to advance Bloomberg’s political views, such as lawsuits against energy companies.
2020 Jan 04 - Republican AGs Say Bloomberg Is Secretly Embedding An Army Of Anti-Trump Attorneys Inside State Offices
- “What’s problematic is the arrangement through which a private organization or individual can promote an overtly political agenda by paying the salaries of government employees,” Indiana Attorney General (AG) Curtis Hill, a Republican, told the Daily Caller News Foundation, citing a common criticism of New York University’s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center (SEEIC).
2018 Nov 06 - State AGs for Rent
- Subscription site
2018 Oct 10 - How Bloomberg Embeds Green Warriors in Blue-State Governments
- Although many government agencies have employees funded by outside sources, critics say using special interest money for targeted government action is inappropriate. Christopher Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who wrote a report on the NYU center, said the fellowships come with specific strings attached. “[AG] offices must agree to use prosecutors to ‘advance progressive clean energy, climate change, and environmental legal positions,’” Horner said.
- Personally and through his political groups, Bloomberg has also donated millions of dollars to Democratic attorneys general campaigns in this midterm election cycle. For Democratic campaigns in general, he has announced plans to spend $80 million this year.
AG Minnesota
2022 Apr 04 - Minnesota AG Race Becomes Interesting Thanks to Participation in Bloomberg “SAAGs” Scheme
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, a bit less popular now in that rather chaotic state than four years ago, has three Republicans vying for their party’s nomination to take him on. Apparently all of them are committed, if elected, to firing the “Special Assistant Attorneys General” provided Ellison by billionaire climate activist Michael Bloomberg
- Lots of links in this article to investigate!
2022 Feb 25 - Bloomberg “SAAG” Withdraws from Ellison “Climate” Case She Filed
- That SAAG is Leigh Currie (the remaining SAAG is Peter Surdo, who boasted on his LinkedIn site he had been “embedded” in Ellison’s Office). That suit is the one that we now know was orchestrated by the Rockefeller Family Fund using local cutout greens — and a UMinn academic who rather incredibly put a memo pushing the suit, ghost co-written by “the lawyers advising Rockefeller family fund,” on University stationery — and which was held until the Bloomberg group provided the Office with the lawyers who, yes, did in fact file the suit.
2022 Feb 10 - MINNESOTA CONSIDERS LEGISLATION TO BLOCK ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM ACCEPTING BLOOMBERG ATTORNEYS
- As EID Climate has noted before, Attorney General Keith Ellison currently employees two Special Assistant Attorneys General (SAAGs) who are not Minnesota state government employees, but rather have been placed in the Ellison’s office by the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the NYU Law School, which also pays their salaries. The center was started in 2017 thanks to a $5.6 million grant from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the arrangement has drawn intense criticism for allowing privately-funded organizations to gain a foothold in taxpayer-funded state government offices to carry out particular agenda.
2021 Nov 11 - Amicus Brief: MN AG Ellison’s “Troubling Position” to Keep Bloomberg-Related Records Secret
- Non-profit transparency groups Public Records Media and the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information held a press conference Wednesday to announce they filed an amicus brief with the Minnesota State Supreme Court in Energy Policy Advocates v. Ellison, a Government Data Practices Act (open records) case over emails pertaining to Ellison’s involvement in the climate litigation industry.
- That case addresses Ellison’s move to expand Minnesota law, claiming a sweeping version of “common interest” exemption to the waiver of privilege, in order to keep from the public his Office’s correspondence pertaining to multi-state progressive AG efforts to impose the climate agenda through the courts, to bring on privately hired, Michael Bloomberg financed attorneys to assist with that campaign, and to work with other third parties toward the same end.
2021 Jun 21 - MN OAG Used Bloomberg-provided Attorney in Coordinating with Outside-Activists to Tout Climate Suit
- From records produced by the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General, Leigh Currie — an outside activist and one of two lawyers provided by a Michael Bloomberg group to file a lawsuit against energy companies — was also tasked with helping the Office’s “outreach” and media folks prep surrogates to promote the filing of that suit.
2021 May 18 - Private Funders, Public Institutions: ‘Climate’ Litigation and a Crisis of Integrity (Report)
- Extensive Report
2021 Jan 07 - Agenda dollars are buying state government jobs
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison appealed to Bloomberg's priorities in his application to NYU, even hinting at investigating energy companies if he was given some privately paid for hired help. Minnesota's AG office landed not one but two of these full-time Bloomberg staffers. They are paid by NYU not the state of Minnesota. According to a Fox News report, NYU files "biweekly reports on its activities" with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
- Bloomberg must be pleased with his Minnesota investment. According to a June 24, 2020, Star Tribune article, his two lawyers filed a lawsuit against several oil companies and refiners hoping to replicate Minnesota's first-in-the-nation tobacco litigation that made a Minnesota law firm's partners into mega-millionaires.
2020 Feb 16 - Bloomberg Privately Funds Attorneys in State AG Offices While Running for President
- Michael Bloomberg’s billions aren’t just buying ads. In at least two Super Tuesday states, his money funds private lawyers working inside attorneys general offices, advancing his political agenda on the environment.
- Massachusetts and Minnesota, whose Democratic voters will go to the polls on Super Tuesday, are among at least 10 states where activist attorneys are working for the state AGs offices but are paid through the Impact Center. Their mission is to promote state legal action to advance Bloomberg’s political views, such as lawsuits against energy companies.
AG Oregon
2020 Dec 16 - New Records Suit re Climate Litigation Industry: Oregon AG Sued for Improperly Hiding Calendar Entries for Bloomberg-provided “Special Assistant Attorney General”
- The public interest law firm Government Accountability & Oversight, P.C. (GAO) has filed suit under Oregon’s Public Records Law against Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and the State Department of Justice (DoJ), on behalf of the nonprofit transparency group Energy Policy Advocates, seeking to compel release of scores of hidden calendar entries of “Special Assistant Attorney General” (or SAAG) Steve Novick.
- Mr. Novick was hired and provided to DoJ as a “SAAG” by a group created by billionaire, major Democratic party donor and climate activist Michael Bloomberg to support AGs to pursue a political agenda — “advancing progressive clean energy, climate change, and environmental legal positions”.
- These heavily redacted records are records of a precise class that the Department of Justice has previously released with few redactions. Indeed, cross-referencing the Department of Justice’s release of, e.g., Mr. Novick’s colleague Paul Garrahan’s calendar plainly documents the improper withholding and secrecy with which the Department of Justice treats this privately hired attorney’s calendar, both generally and regarding specific withholdings
AG Virginia
2022 Apr 20 - Climate FOIA: Public Prevails, Court Orders Virginia AG Office to Comply With the Law Re Bloomberg Docs
- Long dragged-out case, filed in 2018, takes major step toward educating further on Bloomberg “SAAGs” scheme, and aborted (by phone) Virginia AG participation
- Virginia citizen Christopher Horner and the free-market public policy group Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) prevailed yet again yesterday in their lawsuit against Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act.
- At a hearing in Richmond, Virginia on Tuesday — the third hearing in a (so far) two-and-a-quarter year saga to obtain records that previously did not exist but now magically do — the Office of the Virginia Attorney General was ordered to file an answer in a November 2018 VFOIA lawsuit by Government Accountability & Oversight board member Chris Horner and the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
- That suit requested records related to AG Mark Herring’s rather fevered, successful — and then suddenly dropped — pursuit of Michael Bloomberg-funded “Special Assistant Attorneys General” “to advance the agenda represented by” Bloomberg’s climate group.
Food/Beverages
Mexico
2017: Soda Sales in Mexico Continue to Decline Since Sugary Beverage Tax in First Two Years
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Obesity Prevention Program
2013: Bloomberg gets caught up in Mexico soda tax fight
- Bloomberg's charity has contributed to Mexican pro-tax groups.
Guns
2014 Apr 15 - Bloomberg Plans a $50 Million Challenge to the N.R.A.
- Pointing to his work on gun safety, obesity and smoking cessation, he said with a grin: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.”
- Bloomberg plans to spend $50 million this year building a nationwide grass-roots network to motivate voters who feel strongly about curbing gun violence, an organization he hopes can eventually outmuscle the National Rifle Association. His plan includes motivating Moms to vote on gun issues.
2007 May 21 - Everytown for Gun Safety
- New umbrella group for other gun control groups he funds Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Women
2021 Mar 31 - Mike Bloomberg's foundation kept funding a $220 million global-health initiative after learning of sexual-harassment claims against one of the project's leaders
- Lopez denied these allegations, but the investigator classified them in a September 2019 report reviewed by Insider as "on the balance of probabilities ... proven," and found that three other allegations from Frederes had elements that could be substantiated.
- See also: Melbourne Uni allowed ‘sexual harasser’ professor to keep jobs
- Professor Lopez, 69, was chief epidemiologist for the World Health Organization / Organisation's (WHO) tobacco control program during the 1990s.
- Keywords: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies, University of Melbourne, Data for Health Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO), John Hopkins University, CDC Foundation, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)
2020 Feb 24 - Mike Bloomberg Has Been Accused of Having a ‘Woman Problem’—Here’s What That Means
- Bloomberg LP and Mike Bloomberg himself have faced almost 40 employment lawsuits over sexual harassment, wage theft, and more.
2020 Feb 20 - “I’d like to do that piece of meat”: The sexism allegations against Bloomberg, explained
- Nondisclosure agreements, lawsuits, and allegations of sexist comments could be big issues for his campaign.
2020 Feb 19 - The Worst Things Michael Bloomberg Has Said About Women
2020 Feb 15 - Mike Bloomberg for years has battled women’s allegations of profane, sexist comments
2019 Nov 26 - Michael Bloomberg built a $54 billion company. For 2 decades, women who worked there have called it a toxic, sexually charged nightmare.
- 64 workers had filed nearly 40 employment lawsuits against Bloomberg LP since 1996
2019 Nov 14 - Michael Bloomberg's past comments about women and rape will likely haunt him on the 2020 campaign trail
Other
Vietnam Vet Vendor Still Sleeping In Hot Dog Cart After Mayor Bloomberg Breaks Promise
Suggestions to add to this page
Balancing science and political economy: Tobacco control and global health
2022: The unchecked power of philanthropy
Bloomberg’s Anti-Vaping Policies are Exploitative and Wrong
The WHO tells us: Don’t say “safer” anymore!
Bloomberg Orgs Block Kids Hospital
Helping people lead tobacco-free lives
- CVS Health & friends
#TobaccoExposed: WHO violates the Framework Convention on Tobacco
- Use Google Translate
Philanthrocapitalism and crimes of the powerful
- Not about Bloomberg, but great material to think about
Bloomberg Initiative To Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program
- Previously Funded Projects
2021: We're not impressed Mr. B
- Collection on Facebook about M. Bloomberg. The majority of the posts have something to do with nicotine.
2019: Michael Bloombergs anti-vaping crusade is objectively pro tobacco
- The billionaire busybody is pushing bans on flavored e-cigarettes that offer a harm-reducing alternative to smoking.
2020: The Future of Tobacco
Highlight Guide
- (CTFK / TFKAF) Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids / Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund
- CVS
- MPOWER
- PAVe (Parents Against Vaping e-Cigarettes)
- STOP
- The Union
- World Health Organization (WHO)