Early last week a small college in central Arkansas distinguished itself with a hat trick for tobacco control in Arkansas when

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PRESS RELEASE

Date: 23 August 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact: J.R. Few at

(870) 427-1365 or email

Breeding Grounds for Public Health

Last week a small college in central Arkansas distinguished itself with a hat trick for tobacco prevention in Arkansas when the third Hendrix graduate in a row was recognized as tobacco control advocate of the year by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Arkansas.

Arkansas’ Surgeon General Dr. Joe Thompson, Hendrix ’84 (center) displays his 2007 Trail Blazer’s Award for tobacco control advocacy from CTFA at the 5th annual Striking Out Tobacco state conference in North Little Rock recently.

Thompson was recognized for his constant advocacy and influence behind the Arkansas Clean Indoor Air Act, Act 13 protecting children in cars from secondhand smoke, and Initiated Act 1 of 2000 distinguishing Arkansas’ use of tobacco settlement funds for health related issues.

Pictured with the Surgeon General are the previous two honored by the award. Dan J. Hawkins, PhD, Hendrix ’75 (on right) was recognized for his activism and funding of the Dr. Dan J. Hawkins Community Health Center in Harrison in 2005. J.R. Few, Hendrix ’81 (far left) was honored in 2006 for general miscreance. Hawkins and Thompson took the hard courses.

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