WHO Declares Global War on Tobacco

Implications: The World Health Organization isn't going to let Altria's spinoff, Philip Morris International have a free ride in developing countries. With help from philanthropist New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the report highlights the scourge of global tobacco use, and efforts to get it under control.

Analysis: With help from philanthropist New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights the scourge of global tobacco use.

While they deny it, the tobacco industry seems to be positioning themselves to market cigarettes in areas with less developed regulatory systems.

This report signals that the WHO plans on targeting developing countries to adopt their treaty, which includes provisions to restrict outdoor advertising, raise taxes, pass indoor smoking bans, and increase the profile of warning labels.

Nonetheless, many of the treaty provisions will be hard to pass, let alone enforce. A battle looms.