World No Tobacco Day is May 31 and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Tobacco Cessation Program proudly marks 23 years of impactful work in tobacco prevention and cessation within Arkansas communities.
Since its inception, UAPB Tobacco Cessation has been instrumental in reducing tobacco use and exposure through grassroots advocacy, policy change, community engagement, and health communications.
Established as a result of the 2000 voter-approved Initiated Act One, which allocated a portion of Arkansas’ Master Tobacco Settlement revenue toward tobacco prevention efforts, UAPB Tobacco Cessation has partnered with the Arkansas Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program to implement numerous initiatives aimed at curbing tobacco-related harm, particularly in communities disproportionately affected by tobacco marketing and use.
Over the past 20 years, UAPB Tobacco Cessation and its grantees have consistently met or exceeded their annual performance goals by implementing a range of evidence-based interventions, including:
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Expanding the number of faith-based institutions engaged in tobacco control initiatives.
Enhancing community awareness through events such as No Menthol Sunday.
Providing technical assistance to landlords interested in strengthening tobacco-free policies.
Producing mass media messages addressing the dangers of tobacco use, including targeted campaigns on e-cigarettes.
Increasing the number of businesses adopting voluntary tobacco-free workplace policies.
Advocating for and assisting in the establishment of smoke-free park policies.
Encouraging the adoption of comprehensive tobacco-free policies that include vape products.
Promoting the Arkansas Quitline as a resource for cessation support.
Conducting widespread media campaigns using radio, social media, billboards, and flyers to counteract tobacco industry advertising tactics.
Educating communities on the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure and its long-term health effects.
Dr. Calvin Johnson, director of the UAPB Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO), emphasized the program’s commitment to health equity and community-driven interventions.
“I enthusiastically applaud the work of our staff and partner organizations who have faced the challenge of changing people’s habits and helped reduce tobacco usage as well as tobacco-related illnesses,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to continue building upon the progress we’ve made, ensuring that all communities in Arkansas have the resources and support necessary to live healthier, tobacco-free lives.”
According to the 2024 MISRGO Annual Evaluation Report, Arkansas has seen a notable decline in tobacco use over the past two decades. The state’s adult smoking rate decreased from 27% in 2002 to 14.5% in 2020, aligning closely with the national average of 12% in the same year. This progress, a 46.3% decline, underscores the effectiveness of UAPB’s comprehensive approach to tobacco cessation and prevention.
UAPB Tobacco Cessation has provided approximately $12 million in grant funding to more than 100 organizations, with 88% of grantees meeting or exceeding goals in key areas such as reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, preventing youth initiation, and promoting quitting. MISRGO-funded programs have reached approximately 44% of Arkansas counties, serving nearly 33 of Arkansas’ 75 counties.
Since 2015, UAPB’s Minority Research Center has advanced evidence-based research and workforce development in tobacco prevention, awarding over $87,500 in research grants.
Lastly, the Graduate Addiction Studies program, the state’s only graduate level program focused specifically on addiction science, has produced 148 professionals dedicated to addressing addiction in underserved communities since it was created in 2002.
For more information, visit uapbtobaccocessation.org.
Marian S. Evans, who has a doctor of public health degree, is the coordinator of the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.