A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some racial and ethnic groups have much higher smoking rates than others, and health officials hope to use that information in cessation efforts. Dr. Brian King with the C-D-C says the study found the smoking rate among Native Americans is the highest overall, at 39 percent. King says the data collected will help health officials when they’re designing anti-tobacco programs and campaigns.
Native American advocates say the study also points to the need for an entirely different approach to smoking cessation for indigenous people, because tobacco has been part of their culture for centuries.
LaDonna Blue Eyes, assistant professor at Indiana University, has authored several reports on the health issues in Native American communities. She says traditional smoking-cessation efforts aren’t working, because they aren’t addressing tribal history and culture.
She says to be successful, anti-smoking efforts shouldn’t label tobacco as evil.
She acknowledges that government-sponsored tobacco education programs are necessary, but says they need to be tweaked to include the culture and heritage of Native Americans.