Duluthian Receives Prestigious Award Speaking Out Against Tobacco Industry

The Award is Given to Just One Person in the Nation Each Year

DULUTH, Minn.- A Duluthian was given a prestigious award for her hard work advocating against the Tobacco industry, and for a healthy lifestyle.

Pat McKone of the American Lung Association helped pass some of Minnesota’s first smoke free policies. And after 40 years of being with the organization, she received the Hoyt E. Dearholt Distinguished Professional Service Award.

“It’s really been for me, a social justice issue,” said McKone. “That for many people who have lung disease, it’s people in poverty, people through no fault of their own, and then you have an industry that targets children that get addicted for life time, that I would really like to see go out of business, and that’s the tobacco industry.”

The Award is only given to one person in the nation each year, and is the American Lung Association’s highest honor a staff can receive.