It is funded by the tobacco industryPhilip Morris International (PMI), which initially planned to provide $80 million dollars in annual funding.[4] The pledge agreement from PMI to the Foundation, modified in September 2020, promised $35 million in funding to the Foundation from 2022 through 2029.[6] In 2023, the agreement was terminated, with a payment of $140 million.[7]
The Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) at the University of Catania is funded by the Foundation (through an intermediate company named ECLAT SRL) and some of its researchers (such as Riccardo Polosa) published tobacco-related papers without declaring funds received from the Foundation nor conflicts of interest.[8][12][13] Advocacy groups directly or indirectly funded by the Foundation have stated that vaping with electronic cigarettes is a safer choice than smoking cigarettes, regarding the health effects of COVID-19.[14]
On 28 September 2022, the second edition of the Tobacco Transformation Index (an initiative of FSFW) was released at the Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (GTNF) detailing the results of research into the efforts made by the world’s 15 largest tobacco companies to reduce the harm caused by the consumption of their products. The 2022 Index noted that high-risk products made up about 95% of retail sales in 2021, with so-called reduced-risk products making up the remainder. It also noted that tobacco companies are failing to invest in harm reduction in low and middle-income countries, with sales of reduced-risk products concentrated in markets with a high disposable income.[15]
On 4 October 2022, it was reported that the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI), a subsidiary of FSFW, supported Malawi-based scholars through the ATI Fellowship and Scholarship Fund. Fifteen postgraduate students shared information about their studies while speaking with experts and students at the North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences International Programs. The goal of the event was to use what the students learned to help diversify Malawi’s tobacco-reliant agricultural ecosystem.[16]
On 31 January 2023, The Australian reported that research conducted by FSFW was published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, appearing in a paper about patterns of tobacco use over the pandemic. The original paper was cited in further papers, causing the research to eventually be cited in more than 6,700 papers.[17]
Global Action to End Smoking
In October 2023, Cliff Douglas became the CEO and president of the organization.[2] In May 2024, the foundation changed its name to 'Global Action to End Smoking'.[2]
On 13 September 2017, tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI) announced its support for the establishment of a new entity – the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World. [...] The UN General Assembly has recognized a “fundamental conflict of interest between the tobacco industry and public health.” [...] Strengthening implementation of the WHO FCTC for all tobacco products remains the most effective approach to tobacco control. [...] If PMI were truly committed to a smoke-free world, the company would support these policies. Instead, PMI opposes them. [...] When it comes to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, there are a number of clear conflicts of interest involved with a tobacco company funding a purported health foundation, particularly if it promotes sale of tobacco and other products found in that company’s brand portfolio. WHO will not partner with the Foundation. Governments should not partner with the Foundation and the public health community should follow this lead.
WHO maintains its firm position that it will not partner with this organization and strongly recommends that governments and the public health community do the same. Our concerns remain: Global Action to End Smoking operates using funds from Philip Morris International. Its activities support a broader tobacco industry strategy to mislead the public about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine product use. WHO is particularly concerned about potential efforts to target children and young people, creating a new generation of tobacco and nicotine users.
— World Health Organization, Alert on Philip Morris-funded Foundation name change to Global Action to End Smoking[5]
