Bloomberg Philanthropies has teamed up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support anti-smoking laws in low- and middle-income countries, where initiatives to curb tobacco use are subject to legal threats.

The group has received just $4 million dollars so far, but the entrepreneurs say their budget will grow as other donors contribute to the effort.

"The fact that there is a fund dedicated to taking on the tobacco companies in court sends a message that they are not going to get a free ride. If they say that's not a lot of money — yes, well, take a look at who's behind it," said Michael Bloomberg.

The founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies has already donated $600 million dollars to anti-tobacco programs worldwide over the last eight years.

Tobacco laws in developing nations face threats from big corporations warning that the initiatives are in violation of international trade agreements. This has occurred in Uganda, Togo, Namibia, and Gabon. In addition to low- and middle-income nations, the tobacco industry has also targeted richer countries such as Australia and Norway, where measures have been taken to reduce tobacco use.

But unlike their wealthier counterparts, developing nations lack the resources to fight protracted legal battles against big tobacco. Industry insiders say just a handful of these court cases are currently pending.

"Governments wishing to protect their citizens through larger pictorial warnings on cigarette packs or by introducing plain packaging are being intimidated by industry's threats of lengthy and costly litigation," said Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization.

"This is an effort to deprive governments of their sovereign right to legislate in the public interest. We will push back hard." 

More than 5 million people die from tobacco-related diseases each year, and over 75 percent of smokers live in the developing world. As tobacco use declines in the United States and other developed nations, tobacco companies continue to shift their focus to new markets elsewhere. 

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will manage the new fund, in a drive to reduce tobacco use among youth and adults around the globe.

Photo: Partha S. Sahana | Flickr