Former tobacco exec to talk at area schools

ORONO — Grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds, former tobacco executive Patrick Reynolds will share his life experiences fighting the tobacco industry during several talks in the Greater Bangor area.

Reynolds will present his anti-smoking message at:

. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 100 Donald P. Corbett Business Building, University of Maine, Orono.

. 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Bangor at Eastern Maine Technical College’s Rangeley Hall, Room 501A. Rangeley Hall is located on Sylvan Road.

Reynolds also will speak to all SAD 22 middle school students at Hampden Academy at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18.

A former smoker, Reynolds was the first industry figure to turn his back on the industry when he left his family’s business in 1986.

It was the family brands, Camel and Winston, that killed his father and eldest brother, he says.

In his lectures around the country, Reynolds discusses the First Amendment debate over tobacco advertising and explains his support for campaign finance reform to help curb the power of the tobacco industry over the government.

Co-sponsors for the events include Bangor Region Partners for Health, a program of Partnerships for Healthy Communities; the University of Maine’s Substance Abuse Prevention Services; University of Maine Counseling Center; Eastern Maine Technical College; and several private donors. Funding for Bangor Region Partners for Health is provided by Healthy Maine Partnerships, Bureau of Health, Department of Human Services. For information, visit the Web site at www.tobaccofree.org.