The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : Mayor does his `bit' for `stop smoking' campaign

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Friday, Aug 18, 2006

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Opinion - News Analysis

Mayor does his `bit' for `stop smoking' campaign

Oliver Burkeman

FIRST, MICHAEL Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, conquered his addiction to smoking. Then he carried his crusade to his city, defeating entrenched tradition and howls of nicotine-fuelled criticism to ban cigarettes from its bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Now, the 64-year-old billionaire is taking on the world, donating $125 million of his money to tackle the problem globally, arguing that it has been ignored for too long by philanthropists.

Mr. Bloomberg, whose $5.1 billion fortune makes him the world's 112th richest man, said the money would be used to create the Worldwide Stop Smoking Initiative, which would give grants to existing organisations to fund programmes to help smokers quit, help discourage children from starting, and back smoking bans in other cities. The Mayor said the cash would be "a social investment."

"There are roughly five million people who are killed by tobacco in this world each year, and, unless we take urgent action this century, a billion people will die from smoking," Mr. Bloomberg said. "We know how to save millions of lives, and shame on us if we don't do it."

Mr. Bloomberg's donations attract little media attention. This year the Chronicle of Philanthropy placed him eighth on its list of America' most generous donors: he gave $144 million in 2005 (Bill and Melinda Gates donated $320 million). The American Cancer Society described Mr Bloomberg's donation as unprecedented. —

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