While responses to March's question varied widely, there were many common themes across continents, oceans, and cultures -- and in the end, our dream of a [commercial] tobacco-free world is the same.

We come to tobacco control from many different angles: public health, the environment, youth and education, human and consumer rights, and economics. A significant number of us have lost loved ones to tobacco, and many of us were once addicted to tobacco ourselves. Concern about second hand smoke, outrage at the tobacco industry's promotion of death and disease, and frustration over government inaction fuels the work of many -- as does the pleasure taken in helping people to quit smoking and preventing young people from taking up the habit.

Many of you wrote that the global tobacco industry must be challenged, and it is global solidarity among tobacco control advocates -- of all fields of expertise -- that provides hope for success. The knowledge that we are not fighting this battle alone, that there are others at our side, is simultaneously reassuring, energizing, and inspiring.

ALGERIA – Kamel Bereksi, sous-secteur Jean Kraft
I got involved in the anti-tobacco movement in 1979, as a young doctor in a glass factory in Oran. I realized that the workers had many health problems, in particular, lung diseases (cough, bronchitis, asthma etc.). The majority of them smoked to console themselves or pass the time away. I decided to launch some health actions, such as distributing information on the dangers of tobacco. It was at the World Conference in Chicago last summer that I realized that the phenomenon is worldwide and thus, the battle is worldwide. And that solidarity exists and is paying off.

ARGENTINA - Eduardo Lauro, Asociacion Argentina de Educacion y Prevencion del Cancer
Because he is a Doctor and he feels that he has the responsability to promote health. Because he worked on Oncological Surgery in the "Angel Roffo Insititute" of Buenos Aires, Argentina and he has seen the damage that the cigarette causes.

BURUNDI – Nestor Bikorimana, Association Burundaise des Consommateurs
As a consumer association, I cannot rest indifferent to tobacco’s harmful effects on consumers’ health. I began to work on this issue that preoccupied me since coming in contact with Essential Action at a
conference in Durban, South Africa last November. It was there that I learned of and was inspired by the actions taking place around the world. Before this time, I did not know where to start or what to do. Aware of the ravages of tobacco not only on smokers, but also on non smokers, it seemed to me, as a leader of a consumer organization and as a citizen, that it was an obligation to contribute to the fight against this public health menace. Aware that tobacco is a worldwide problem and that it is through collaborative efforts – more than isolated actions – that one attains concrete results, I became interested in participating in the international movement. The globalization of the tobacco industry makes it necessary for us to join together in a global battle against the harmful effects of the industry.

CAMEROON – Alphonse Issi, Mouvement National des Consommateurs
We came to work in the fight against tobacco because two primary objectives of our NGO are the promotion of quality of life through health and the prohibition of drug consumption. It was in 1984 that I saw the fatal complications of cigarette smoking on my brother. I myself was a heavy smoker at this time, and this event convinced me to quit smoking immediately. Since then, I have launched a war without mercy against tobacco. Nothing motivates my work, except this and knowing that in other countries there are people who like me are engaged in this battle. In Cameroon, I am haunted day and night by the multinational corporations that promote tobacco, and use their financial power to perpetuate corruption at all levels -- even the schools where I attempt to establish anti-tobacco clubs. We work empty-handed, we do not even have the minimum subsidy to launch our actions.

CONGO – Wazi Mulum, Blue Cross of Dem. Rep. Of Congo
First, I have a brother who began smoking cigarettes at age 15 and then started to use heavy drugs. One day he had to go to the hospital. All the family was anxious about his health. I told myself that the time had come for him to stop smoking, but how? Secondly, in my country people who develop tobacco related-diseases/problems do not benefit from government support. For these two reasons I became interested in WHO activities on tobacco. Knowing that I am not alone in this corner of the world -- that men, women, children & organizations around the world are fighting against tobacco and resisting tobacco companies -- motivates me to go on. Full text

CONGO – Antum Itamponi Micheline, Bons Temeliers
I had a brother who smoked - and he had problems with his health. One day he had an appointment with the doctor, who gave him a paper and asked him to blow on it. The paper turned black with smoke. And someone in my church worked 20 years at BAT-CONGO. He lost his job, and after some months he suffered heart problems/cancer. A doctor said that this disease was caused by second hand smoke and the conditions of his job. The medicines were too expensive to cure the disease. In response to such situations my conscience told me to do something. Full text

CZECH REPUBLIC – Jiri Kozak, Czech Committee of the European Medical Association on Smoking or Health
I was a smoker of 10-15 cigarettes a day for 20 years. In 1972, as a chest physician, I become acquainted with the Surgeon General´s report on tobacco impact on health. As a member of the Council of the Czech Pneumological and Phtisiological Society at that time, I informed the Council of my intention to establish the Committee on Smoking and Health. [How could I] lead the committee on tobacco control when I was a smoker? My answer was to quit cold turkey. Since that time I am an
ex-smoker. Full text

JORDAN – Muna Hamzeh, Ministry of Health
The most important motivation in my work is our success with children, raising a new tobacco free generation. And their efforts to convince their parents to quit smoking. And the happiness and beautiful smile on the face of someone who quit smoking. I believe that in the future we will succeed in helping smokers to quit and make Jordan tobacco free -- especially with global efforts, the big support of the policy makers, and the general atmosphere against tobacco use in closed areas. I became interested in international tobacco control efforts after the World Tobacco Conference in Chicago, and the global partnership achievements. Full text

KENYA – Fred Odhiambo, Centre for Tobacco-Free Education and Development
For a long time, cigarette smoking has been a big burden to me. People smoking in crowded places has always caused me embarrassing moments. Cigarette advertising had been very, very free on T.V, radio and cinema, without any control. In 1976, I was already tired of this poisoning smoke, but did not know what to do. I was lucky to visit Washington D.C. and New York in 1997 (August) on a Civic Education Tour and saw for the first time how tobacco was being fought in the media and by organizations. I did not require much persuasion to join anti- crusaders of tobacco. In 1999 CTFED was registered in Kenya, as an anti-smoking NGO. Full text

SRI LANKA – Padmini Wijayanayake, Alcohol & Drug Information Centre
I met Prof. Diyanth Samarasinghe through a mutual friend and he told me of the devious activities of the tobacco industry and asked me whether I would like to volunteer to help to children of SL from this industry. I attended a few discussions and I was hooked on it. I'm an economist by profession, and I must say that I was willing to give up a very lucrative job in the private sector to do tobacco prevention work. I started as a volunteer and have taken to doing this work on full time basis.

TOGO – André Messan DETOH, Association Togolaise pour la Defense des Consommateurs
As someone once said, “It is ignorance that kills my children.” We come across this each day in our people who, unaware of the true risks of tobacco, continue to be fooled by the cigarette merchants. Out of conscious, we cannot let our brothers and sisters die of ignorance. The battle against tobacco is tough and arduous work that a single organization, even a strong one, cannot wage alone. Thus, it was that ASTODEC established relations with various organizations and helped gather data on Togo for the Tobacco Country Profiles, a project initiated by the American Cancer Society, for the 11th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago, August 2000. Tobacco is a global problem, and thus, there must be an international movement against it.

UGANDA – Phillip Karugaba, The Environmental Action Network Limited
My entry point into tobacco control was from the environmental perspective. I was a resource person at a workshop on environmental law. At the end of the workshop, the participants agreed to form an organization to litigate environmental issues. One of the issues identified was tobacco dust pollution from a tobacco threshing plant in the city. There is very little awareness of the dangers of smoking in Uganda and even less about the shameful conduct of the tobacco industry. Smoking is still considered socially acceptable almost anywhere. The local tobacco company a BAT subsidiary, is considered a good corporate citizen sponsoring local sporting events and popular youth concerts. I cannot let them get away with this, and I will continue to fight to educate the Ugandan public on the dangers of tobacco and to expose the deceit of the tobacco industry. Full text

URUGUAY – Eduardo Bianco, Sindicato Medico del Uruguay
I am a cardiologist and work in Montevideo (Uruguay, South America). Since I began my medical practice, first as a physician and then as a cardiologist, I was worried about patients’ tobacco consumption. Very soon I realized that quitting is not easy for many smokers, but, as a non smoker, I did not understand why it was so difficult. In 1990 I started to look for ways to help smokers quit. In 1994, I organized a smoking cessation program in my private practice. From June to November 1997, I participated in an international course on “Troubles Related to the Consumption of Addictive Substances,” organized by the Uruguayan University and National Drug Committee. None of the Uruguayans mentioned smoking as a drug addiction, but invited foreign lecturers did. The experience prompted me to consider smoking cessation as drug addiction treatment, and to look for the way of modifying the Uruguayan people’s understanding of smoking addiction. Full text

USA - Stephen Hansen, California Medical Association (CA)
I'm involved pro bono as a physician because tobacco kills, disables, and pauperizes more of our fellow humans than all the other preventable ills that I might be able to impact. In this business it's better to prevent "wholesale" than to cure "retail"! I also know that physicians poll as the most credible spokespersons by far on tobacco issues,and I spend lots of my time and money trying to get docs and their organizations to push the envelope on these issues.

USA – Ginnie Henry, Tar Wars Coordinator - Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IL)
I had my first cigarette in the fifth grade. Then I became an on again off again smoker in high school. Once I reached college, it became more of an every day habit. After graduation, I was always around smokers and it was our way to cope with the stress of our jobs. Finally I quit my job and took the job at IAFP, which involved moving 700 miles from family and friends and starting over on my own. However the absolute stress of the move and the new job and the homesickness was my excuse to continue using cigarettes as a crutch. Working in a health-conscious environment was the first step to help kick the habit. No one smoked around me. Then I took over administering the Tar Wars program, and going out around the state to promote Tar Wars to schools and training physicians to teach it. How could I possible continue smoking when my work now revolved around keeping others away from tobacco? I decided to practice what I preached and did away with cigarettes for good. As my Tar Wars program grew and flourished, my need for cigarettes diminished. I've been smoke free for almost a year now. Full text

USA – Ted Collins, Red Ribbon Coalition (KS)
First, I tried to smoke myself to death for about 15 years. Then I tried to run stop smoking groups and wound up smoking again. I like prevention but am too addicted to do treatment or intervention. Knowing how it hurts the lungs and heart motivates me -- and how it diverts people from parenting, working or other activities, because it demands to be #1 in your life. Getting invited to the Int'l conf. as a fill-in stoked my fire, so to speak.

USA – Judith Coykendall, PACT Program (MA)
Initially I thought I had taken my job in 1994 simply because I answered an ad and the job was close to home. After I was in the job for about a year somebody said, "so, you took the job because your mother died of lung cancer last year?" I was floored as I had not put two and two together. Yes, my mother had died only 8 months before I took this job after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. I was there and know that she had the best death possible under the circumstances . . . but that it all could have been avoided had she not been a smoker. In addition, my father died suddenly of a myocardial infarction at the age of 54. He was a chain smoker of Camels. Every day I look forward to going to work and helping someone with their addiction or helping a young person avoid becoming a nicotine addict. I have yet to meet a smoker who does not want to quit. They may say "not yet" but they still intend to quit some day. Full text

USA – Bill Smith, Tualitin Valley Centers (OR)
I became involved with tobacco control through the Lung Association 36 years ago. I started for Lung in Colorado as a part time writer-- I was a teacher at the time. Later I was offered a job and took it -- the two-year commitment turned into almost 36 years. We did not fight tobacco 36 years ago as we do today -- there was almost no advocacy for nonsmokers' rights -- the word "nonsmoker" was not even used until the '70's. What keeps me going is the excitement of helping people -- with cessation, info, or with activism. I became interested in international tobacco issues because of Global Partnerships.

*To read about what motivated GPTC Coordinator Anna White to get involved in international tobacco control go to http://www.tobacco.org/News/rendezvous/white.html