then & now
August 2010
Culture can serve as a path to better public health.
then...
Commercial tobacco companies target Native American youth, creating significant addiction levels and public health concerns.
now...
Native American youth learn about the tactics of the commercial tobacco industry through and innovative program called Respecting the Tobacco Way Legacy Project run by the Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center. Participants learn about the harmful effects of smoking and create media campaigns against smoking addiction. Because it is part of the participants' culture, they also learn the values of sacred tobacco use—a type of tobacco use that is vastly different from addictive tobacco use. For these youth, keeping tobacco sacred means saying "No" to smoking addiction.
NWCPHP would like to thank Dyani Bingham, Project Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center's Respecting the Tobacco Way Legacy Project, Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council for her assistance.
Ms. Bingham is on staff at the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center of the Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council and was project coordinator for "Respecting the Tobacco Way Legacy Project," a program that was active from April 2008 to March 2010. Funding from the original funder, the American Legacy Foundation, to continue the program is not available, but Ms. Bingham expects that that "Respecting the Tobacco Way" will find new funding and be offered again to Native American youth in Montana and Wyoming.
Could you describe the current traditional tobacco of the tribes you work with?
Tobacco is still used traditionally for offerings or when asking an elder to say a prayer at an event. Also, if a person is gathering from nature, such as collecting willow or stones, tobacco is an appropriate gift in return. Tobacco is also used ceremonially in sweat lodges or at sun dances.
Could you describe the current commercial tobacco of the tribes you work with?
Sometimes people use commercial tobacco for traditional purposes. If a spiritual leader or someone who has the right to do so prays over commercial tobacco, it becomes sacred tobacco. We teach the youth that they should be respectful of someone using commercial tobacco for ceremonial use.
Commercial tobacco is also used in an abusive way and people have regular smoking habits.
What is your program's mission?
While the program was active, we worked with Native American youth to become agents of social change around commercial tobacco use. We held events on reservations and in urban areas.
We were part of two large events. One was the Native Youth Academy and the other was the Gathering of Native Americans. There were about 80 youth per event. The youth learned about sacred tobacco use as well as how the tobacco industry targets American Indians. We covered the health consequences of cigarettes and the values associated with sacred tobacco use. And then the youth learned about media and developed posters and public service announcements as counter-marketing tools.
How did you find participants for your program?
We contracted out with tribal health departments and their tribal tobacco specialists. We supplied funding for the tribal tobacco specialists to bring a certain number of youth.
Is it difficult to send the message that traditional tobacco use is beneficial while at the same time communicating that commercial tobacco use is harmful?
No, not really. A lot of the youth we work with come from communities that are very active in native ceremonies. Also, once the youth learn about the tobacco industry's marketing tactics, it becomes easier to differentiate between the two uses of tobacco.
We show the kids traditional tobacco that hasn't been processed and manufactured so they get to see what it looks like. At one event, they even harvested traditional tobacco. If we provide them hands-on experience and demonstrate the differences, it sinks in.
What does it look like to use tobacco in a sacred way?
There is a code of conduct with the pipe. If you were to use tobacco in a traditional way, very seldom would you inhale the smoke. Instead, the smoke would go into your mouth and then you would blow it out. What it symbolizes is that the prayer you are giving, the words and the essence of it, are going up to the Creator.
What is an example of feedback you often receive from your program's participants?
A lot of the youth really like being together and love the media stuff because it is creative. They also like it when elders visit and teach them about traditional tobacco use. They enjoy giving respect to the elders.
Do you think that this approach, "keeping tobacco sacred," is the most effective approach to use in smoking prevention programs that target American Indian populations?
I think that it is. But I think that it needs to be demonstrated and combined with the values that go with traditional tobacco use. If you just tell kids "keep tobacco sacred," it won't work.
Is there anything you want to add before we finish?
It's fun. I really enjoy my work in tobacco prevention. I think the kids are awesome. They are very hungry for their stories to be shared, so that is why it was so effective when they got to do media projects. It instilled a lot of pride in them. It gave them a voice.
The relationship building that happens is critical—the relationships they build with one another while they are in a safe environment with adults. Scare tactics don't really work with these youth. What is much more powerful is to draw on the camaraderie the kids have with each other. This can have a lasting impact. Less and less do I see kids smoking. I am 34, and when I was high school, smoking was cool. I don't think the kids think it is cool anymore.
then & now, a monthly e-postcard, is part of NWCPHP's celebration of 20 years of promoting excellence in public health practice and is the recipient of a 2010 APEX Award for Publication Excellence. If you would like to receive these monthly e-postcards, or have a story idea, please email us at nwcphp@u.washington.edu.
