Traditional and Recreational Tobacco Use among American Indians

Audience: Anyone who currently works with or plans to work with American Indians in tobacco control would benefit from this panel discussion.  Those individuals who work with youth will find this discussion particularly helpful.

Key Points: American Indians currently smoke at higher rates than any other ethnic group in the United States.  Many American Indians use tobacco for ceremony or other traditional purposes.  Traditional tobacco use and recreational tobacco use are entirely different; traditional use can help American Indian smokers to quit and to remain quit.  Traditional tobacco can also be used in prevention messages among American Indian youth.

Educational Experience: Our first presenter will describe the basic epidemiology of tobacco use, both recreational and traditional, among American Indians in the Midwest and nationally.  Our second presenter will describe traditional use of tobacco among many American Indian communities, emphasizing the difference between traditional use and recreational use.  Our third presenter will describe a media campaign we have been using for the past two years targeting American Indian youth using the positive aspects of traditional tobacco.

Benefits: Attendees will learn about why recreational and traditional tobacco use are very different and how the positive aspects of traditional use of tobacco can be used to help reduce recreational use of tobacco.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to obtain youth-focused tobacco prevention posters designed specifically for the American Indian community.