Tobacco prevention coalitions in Southwest Arkansas represent Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Polk, Sevier and Union counties.

Arkansans for Drug Free Youth-Union County
Breathe Easy Ark-Tex Tobacco Control Coalition (BEAT)
Community Organization Specialist,
Program Director, Tonya Domokos
BEAT Coalition
UAMS/AHEC-SW
300 E. 6th Street
Texarkana, AR  71854
870-779-6048 (phone)
blank@uams.edu
tddomokos@uams.edu
Meets: 3rd Wednesday of each month, 12:00 p.m.

Teens With The Beat Myspace Page

Special Prevention Unit's Homepage

The BEAT coalition is the result of merging two tobacco-control coalitons. Established independently on respective sides of the state line, the Texarkana, Texas coalition and the Texarkana, Arkansas coalition found new strength in combining efforts and resources toward achieving common goals.

BEAT represents eight counties surrounding Texarkana. The counties include: Little River, Howard, Sevier, Lafayette, Nevada, Hempstead, Bowie and Miller. Other chapters of BEAT are and will be established in cities in those counties. Currently, four cities have local coalitions. The mission of the BEAT coalition is to reduce the health and economic toll placed on the bi-state area due to tobacco use. This wide-ranging mission will be accomplished through the achievement of several specific goals. These goals include building a diverse coalition to strengthen the grassroots movement of tobacco control, the creation of tobacco-free environments, reduction of youth access, reduction of tobacco promotion and advertisement and the increase in use of cessation resources.

The BEAT coalition is conducting presentations to businesses, schools and health workers on tobacco use and secondhand smoke. BEAT is focusing on educating city council members in Prescott, Bradley and Texarkana on the dangers of secondhand smoke. The coalition is also educating city council members in three cities on the need to place all tobacco products behind the counter. The coalition has completed three surveys: tobacco retailers, restaurants, and businesses with 50 or more employees. The coalition is now working with local students to star, direct and produce public service announcements to be aired in their area.

Dawson Education Cooperative
DeQueen/Mena Schools
DeQueen Tobacco Free Coalition
Healthy Choices, Inc/Mena
People Helping People/Camden
Southwest Arkansas Cooperative Extension