Foundation for a Smoke-Free World Names New CEO as PMI Completes Final Donation

The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has appointed Clifford E. Douglas as President and CEO. Philip Morris International (PMI) has recently made its final donation to the foundation, and the donation agreement between PMI and the foundation has also concluded.

According to a press release from PR Newswire on October 12, the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has appointed Clifford E. Douglas as President and CEO. Philip Morris International (PMI) has recently made its final donation to the foundation, and the donation agreement between PMI and the foundation has also concluded. 

Douglas previously served as Vice President for Tobacco Control at the American Cancer Society. In the early stages of his career, Douglas worked to eliminate smoking on airline flights and served as a lawyer and consultant in landmark lawsuits against tobacco manufacturers. 

Douglas also initiated a $6 million campaign to eliminate smoking on college campuses and worked to help Americans understand the relationship between smoking and Covid-19. Douglas has served as Assistant Director of the Smoking and Health Alliance; he has also served as Deputy Director of the National Public Affairs Office of the American Lung Association and as a tobacco control advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Health and the Director of the U.S. Public Health Service. 

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

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

“We will continue to be a strong and independent voice in helping people around the world seek healthier lifestyles,” Douglas said. 

It is worth noting that PMI has recently made its final donation to the foundation, and the donation agreement with the foundation has been signed. Previously, PMI indicated that it expected to donate approximately $80 million annually to the foundation over the next 12 years. This move has been criticized by the World Health Organization, which believes that there is a fundamental conflict of interest between the tobacco industry and public health. WHO member states have declared that “WHO does not collaborate with the tobacco industry or non-state actors dedicated to promoting the interests of the tobacco industry” and will not cooperate with this new foundation.