Commercial Tobacco

THE PROBLEM

• Traditional tobacco has been used by many Aboriginal people in ceremonies, rituals and prayer for thousands of years. But using tobacco in non-traditional ways, like smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco or snuff is disrespectful of the spiritual, medicinal, and traditional use of tobacco.
• The use of tobacco products kills 16,000 people in Ontario every year.
• Smoking rates among Aboriginal youth 15-17 years old are triple those of 15-17 year olds in the general Canadian Population.
• Exposure to second hand smoke from friends and family members is putting Aboriginal youth at increased risk of developing serious health problems like heart disease and cancer.

THE SOLUTION