Note: Daniel Dorado was unable to deliver this question at the Philip Morris International annual meeting. Below is what Daniel intended to ask.
“Good morning I’m Daniel Dorado and I’m a public health lawyer living in Ecuador.
The original reassurances from the Foundation For a Smoke-Free World have been put to rest. There’s been no new funders unlike the original assertions to the contrary. As recently as April 2020 PMI continues to be the only source of funding. After years of denouncement from the public health community, the WHO, higher-education and research institutions, the Foundation For a Smoke-Free World has instead turned its attention to funding grantees that prop up industry-friendly priorities in-country.
This network of grantees of the Foundation For a Smoke Free World and the network of media outlet partnerships PMI has made have continued to call into question health officials’ expertise on tobacco use. Securing in some countries a hold on the closing of vape shops and in other cases advocating for tobacco products as essential services.
The most valuable resource in the response to COVID19 is accurate information and time. Serving as a potential proxy for PMI’s interest, the Foundation For a Smoke-Free World has granted money to individuals that are spreading misinformation that could increase the impacts of the pandemic while wasting valuable time of public health officials in having to correct and reassure their citizens. PMI has done everything to keep manufacturing open, while promoting it’s empty CSR and voluntary support.
PMI isn’t serious about Unsmoking the world, it clearly isn’t serious about public health, and would rather fund a Foundation that continues to put money toward individuals that benefit tobacco corporations profits and put public health at risk.
So my question is:
When will you commit to stop funding the Foundation for a Smoke-free World?
Thank you!”
