Clifford E. Douglas Appointed President and CEO of Smoke-Free World Foundation

According to a report from PR Newswire on October 12, the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has announced the appointment of Clifford E. Douglas as President and CEO. Recently, Philip Morris International (PMI) provided the final funding for the foundation, and the donation agreement between PMI and the foundation has now concluded.

Douglas has served as the Vice Chairman of Tobacco Control for the American Cancer Society. During the early stages of his career, Douglas was dedicated to eliminating smoking on airline flights and served as a lawyer and consultant in groundbreaking lawsuits against tobacco manufacturers.

Douglas also launched a $6 million campaign to eradicate smoking on college campuses and to help Americans understand the link between smoking and Covid-19. Douglas previously served as the assistant director of the Smoking and Health Alliance, as well as the Deputy Director of the National Office of Public Affairs at the American Lung Association, and as a tobacco control advisor to the Assistant Secretary and the Director of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The Smoke-Free World Foundation is a non-profit, independent funding organization dedicated to eliminating diseases and deaths caused by smoking, which remains a preventable leading cause of death worldwide. Its charitable mission is to accelerate the reduction of smoking and its associated harms.

Douglas stated that the foundation has unique advantages in reducing smoking globally.

We will continue to raise a powerful and independent voice in assisting people worldwide in seeking healthier lifestyles," Douglas stated.

However, it is worth noting that PMI has recently provided the foundation with its final funding, and the subscription agreement between PMI and the foundation has also concluded.

Earlier, PMI announced its plan to donate approximately $80 million annually to the foundation over the next 12 years. This move has faced criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO), which believes there is a fundamental conflict of interest between the tobacco industry and public health. Member countries of the WHO have declared that the organization will not collaborate with the tobacco industry or non-state actors committed to promoting tobacco industry interests, and therefore, will not engage with this new foundation.