Gates, Bloomberg Create Fund to Help Countries Fight Litigation from Tobacco Industry

iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates on Wednesday announced the creation of a joint litigation fund that will work to combat the tobacco industry in its use of international trade agreements to threaten and prevent nations from passing tobacco-control laws.

The Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund will be backed by both Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“We are at a critical moment in the global effort to reduce tobacco use, because the significant gains we have seen are at risk of being undermined by the tobacco industry’s use of trade agreements and litigation,” Bloomberg said in a press release. “We will stand with nations as they work to protect their populations against the deadly health effects of tobacco use.”

Recently, the press release announcing the creation of the fund says, the tobacco industry has threatened strong tobacco control laws put in place in Uruguay and Australia — among other countries.

The fund will be started with $4 million, the press release says, which will be used to “encourage and assist governments to defend themselves against international trade suits brought by tobacco companies.” The Washington, D.C. based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will administer the fund and provide legal resources and technical assistance.

“Country leaders who are trying to protect their citizens from the harms of tobacco should not be deterred by threats of costly legal challenges from huge tobacco companies,” said Gates. “Australia won its first case, which sends a strong message, but smaller, developing countries don’t have the same resources. That’s why we are supporting the Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund.”

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