Mar 19, 2015
Gates and Bloomberg team up against smoking
Helping low and middle-income countries fight challenges from tobacco companies.
Media entrepreneur and former mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg is teaming up with fellow billionaire Bill Gates to help low and middle-income countries fight legal challenges from tobacco companies. Countries like Uruguay and Australia have faced lawsuits from tobacco companies after passing regulations on how tobacco products can be packaged.
Tobacco companies argue these kinds of restrictions violate international trade agreements and World Trade Organization rules. Gates and Bloomberg created the Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund and seeded it with $4 million to help lower income countries defend their laws.
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