High Smoking Rates among Utah's Native Americans: Report

A report from the Salt Lake City Native American Center states that Native Americans living in and around the city are more likely to experience poverty, poor housing conditions, and unemployment - all known risk factors for smoking.

Salt Lake City - Compared to the general population, the Native American population in Utah has a significantly higher rate of cigarette use, a reflection of a nationwide trend.

According to data from the Utah Department of Health, 17% of Native American adults in Utah reported smoking in 2021, which is more than double the state average of 7%.

Experts say this discrepancy can largely be attributed to targeted marketing by big tobacco companies to Native American communities and the historical cultural appropriation of their spiritual and medical practices. Unlike commercial tobacco, which contains harmful chemicals associated with death, cancer, and other diseases, traditional tobacco has been a part of many Native American cultures for thousands of years. It is often mixed with other local plants and does not contain added chemicals.

Penelope Pinnecoose from the Salt Lake City Indian Center discusses tobacco use among adult residents of Utah. "Traditional tobacco is a medicine that's actually meant to improve physical, mental, and ceremonial well-being. It's more like an offering to the creator, or a way of expressing gratitude for blessings received and passed on to loved ones. Faith-based tobacco use varies among each tribe, and sometimes tobacco isn't used at all.

She added that the portrayal by media of Native Americans smoking from a peace pipe is a stereotype. In fact, many tribes' traditional use of tobacco does not involve smoking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the plant can be used as an offering for prayer, scattered on a patient's bed for healing purposes, or burned in a bowl before planting food and other uses.

Aubri Devashrayee, from the Tobacco Prevention and Control program of the state health department, stated that commercial tobacco profits from marginalized communities.

Devashrayee said, "Not only have indigenous communities endured historical and intergenerational trauma, but they have also been exploited by large corporations who profit off their dependence. The tobacco products that most people think of – such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, and cigars sold by retailers – are the types of tobacco that we want to restrict, not the tobacco grown and sourced by indigenous communities themselves.

Pinnecoose, who is of Uncompahgre, Eastern Shoshone, and Northern Arapaho descent, stated that disparities in the historical health of indigenous communities are also exhibited in the disproportionate rates of smoking.

She said, "When it comes to historical trauma, many people may have experienced internal divisions within their families, poverty, or even societal rejection. Tobacco use can have a significant impact on personal health, with many health disparities behind it. It may not just be about fitting in with your peers.

According to a report from the Native American Center in Salt Lake City, Native American populations in the surrounding area are more likely to experience poverty, poor housing conditions, and unemployment - factors that have been identified as contributors to smoking.

Indigenous Americans have a higher risk for tobacco-related illnesses and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States:

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Native Americans in the Americas. Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among this group. Diabetes ranks as the fourth leading cause of death among Native Americans in the United States, with smokers having a 30-40% higher risk of developing the disease than non-smokers.

The Tobacco Prevention and Control program is currently collaborating with the Salt Lake City Indian Center, which is in turn working with tribal governments to ensure that smoking-related information is packaged in a culturally relevant manner. This partnership aims to find solutions for tobacco prevention.

Devashrayee stated that they are striving to work together to find genuinely effective new methods, rather than just government proposals and mandates, which have historically been unfavorable. They also added that both organizations are working to translate more of their outreach materials into local languages.

Their efforts also include curriculum, speaking engagements, brochures, and soon-to-be billboard advertisements in Salt Lake City. Pinnecoose noted that the Urban Indian Center can also provide young and old people with the opportunity to participate in traditional tobacco or smudging ceremonies before each class.

These two organizations are involved in a nationwide campaign called "Keeping Tobacco Sacred". The campaign emphasizes the traditional use of tobacco, the predatory practices of big tobacco companies, and the dangers of commercial tobacco.

Pinnecoose added that the tribal government of Utah has been making efforts to address the issue of tobacco use, such as refraining from selling tobacco products at community events, establishing smoke-free zones in tribal buildings, and conducting more informational campaigns.

Pinnecoose stated, "I believe that the tribal committee also offers an opportunity to make positive changes regarding the use of commercial tobacco within their own community.

Overall, Pinnecoose stated that these efforts are making progress.

She said, "We are providing opportunities for Native American/Alaska Native communities in the United States to connect with us in a way where they can ask us questions. Additionally, some individuals are concerned about their aunt or uncle, so having this resource not only provides opportunities for individuals, but for their families as well.

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