The International Red Cross and other public health organizations are pressuring the American Red Cross to stop accepting donations from tobacco companies. Officials said such acts could harm the organization's reputation.
The international humanitarian movement and its members from other countries decided to stop accepting donations from tobacco companies since 2008 to support anti-smoking campaigns. But, as a top official told Reuters, the United States and a few more countries did not join that initiative.
The report added that the American Red Cross and its U.S. members are still accepting tobacco money from Altria Group, Reynolds American and Philip Morris International, which accounts for nearly $12 million of the organization's funds.
"We have been very clear about the potential reputational damage not just for them but for all of us," Matthias Schmale, undersecretary general for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a telephone interview with Reuters. "So far we have not taken the route of public condemnation. We want to respect that they are an important supporter of ours."
American Red Cross spokeswoman Laura Howe did not deny nor confirm the issue, but said that the organization is willing to accept donations to provide food, shelter and emotional support to disaster victims. She also said that conversations between officials are not shared with the public.
"As a matter of practice, we don't share the details of private conversations between Red Cross officials."
Meanwhile, Altria spokesman David Sylvia defended that they are not using organizations such as Red Cross to twist their "tarnished" image. The company donates $500,000 each year to Red Cross.
"When there are important disasters, and people have significant needs, that is the right thing for corporations to do," Sylvia said to Reuters.
