There is a good chance you have not heard of Thomas Frieden. But you have almost certainly heard of his work: Dr Frieden, New York's health commissioner, is the man who tossed the city's smokers from the bar-room to the sidewalk in 2003.
Most of the anger over the ban - and there was plenty - stuck to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was an enthusiastic supporter of Dr Frieden's plan to attack smoking in the city. Today both men feel vindicated - particularly now that dozens of governments around the world have followed New York's lead. The UK appears poised to become the latest to ban smoking in pubs, and Germany also is considering a crackdown.
