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BERKELEY — The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation says that longtime leader Julia Carol is one of five recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "Innovators Combating Substance Abuse'' award, which comes with a $300,000 grant. 

According to the foundation, Carol, the former executive director and current director of special programs, has been "instrumental'' in creating a smoking prevention program called "Teens As Teachers'' and eventually eliminating smoking on domestic airline flights. She has worked for 17 years to clear secondhand smoke from the air, raise a generation of smoke-free youth, and counter "Big Tobacco's'' influence. 

“It is a tremendous honor for me and everyone affiliated with The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation to be recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,'' Carol said.  

She added that it is through grants and rewards that the 

foundation has been able to grow from a local grassroots organization into a 

national team of public health professionals. 

The Innovators Award includes a $300,000 grant, which the foundation plans to use to create a Web site that would be a resource database for health advocates, reporters, policy makers and researchers.