A major anti-tobacco push

Bill Gates and New York's mayor pledge $500 million for a worldwide campaign against smoking

Bloomberg, founder of the financial news company bearing his name and creator of the Bloomberg Family Foundation, has long been known for his antipathy to tobacco. During his administration, New York has adopted several anti-smoking measures, including a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, and significant increases in cigarette taxes. His foundation gave $2 million to the WHO to underwrite its latest tobacco report.

"When I announced this initiative, I said that I hoped that others would step forward," said Bloomberg, referring to his initial $125 million commitment, in a written statement released before the afternoon news conference in Midtown Manhattan. "I'm delighted Bill and Melinda Gates are supporting one of the most important public health efforts of our time."

It promises to be a struggle. Cigarettes are not only highly addictive and supported by huge advertising campaigns, but they are also an important source of income for many foreign governments. In some countries, tobacco is a state-owned monopoly, and low- and middle-income countries collect $66 billion a year in tobacco taxes.

About 5 percent of countries in the world have any anti-smoking measures like those the campaign envisions.

But Peto said anti-smoking campaigns were having effects in some countries. He surveyed thousands of smokers in China in the 1990s - "before the government was taking it seriously," he said - and found 4 percent who identified themselves as former smokers. In his more recent surveys, he said, there were 20 percent.