Reason #874 why I love the Times of India.
The article is actually pretty interesting too — apparently the Indian state of West Bengal is losing out on millions of dollars from the international Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use because its chief minister refuses to set an example by kicking the habit. West Bengal leads all Indian states in cigarette consumption, with 71 per cent of men lighting up.
It seems strange to me that an international health education initiative would withhold funding because West Bengal’s chief minister smokes. If this organization is looking to fight smoking where it’s most prevalent, then wouldn’t a state where nearly three quarters of the population — including the leader — lights up be a perfect spot to set up shop? Isn’t it unfair to tell a leader to either change his personal consumption habits or forfeit support for a badly needed multi-million-dollar anti-smoking campaign for his citizens?
The Bloomberg Initiative is a $125-million project that aims to “fight tobacco in the low- and middle-income countries that are now home to a majority of the world’s smokers.” It’s administered through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and lobbies for anti-smoking laws, builds anti-tobacco media campaigns and educates regular folks about the many ways tobacco can kill you.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Theo // Sep 17, 2008 at 8:57 am
I still prefer “Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein”… Washington Post, about 2 years ago?
2 mark // Sep 17, 2008 at 10:43 am
Ha! I remember that! I think you win this round. : )
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