Keep Tobacco Sacred

Reprinted with permission from the First Nations Health Authority

Ready to Quit?

First Nation’s Health Benefits covers three treatment courses for Nicotine Replacement Therapy of 12 weeks each within a 12-month period. This includes two courses of NRT patches and one course of other NRT products such as gums, lozenges, and inhalers, used on an as-needed basis. 

For coverage of these products under Health Benefits, a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner is required. Individuals should consult with a health professional to discuss and choose the best treatment option for them.

No matter how long you have been smoking or chewing tobacco, your health will start to improve when you quit.

When someone wants to quit their non-traditional tobacco use (smoking or chewing tobacco), these three things need to be addressed:

• physical addiction of nicotine

• habit

• emotional dependence

Why Do People Smoke?

One of the main reasons people smoke – and why it is so hard to stop – is the addiction to nicotine. This drug has a calming effect and it may relieve boredom, anxiety and irritability. Nicotine also has a stimulant effect, increasing alertness and concentration.

Reasons to Quit

First Nations people have a long history of using tobacco in ceremonies, rituals and prayer. When tobacco is used in a traditional way, it benefits the spirit and strengthens the ties to one’s culture. However, when tobacco is used in a non-traditional manner, like smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco/snuff, it causes lung diseases including lung cancer, heart disease, cancers of the upper respiratory tract, and pregnancy risks.

Never Give Up

It generally takes at least three serious attempts at quitting before a person becomes a lifetime non-smoker, and for many people it takes six or more tries. If you are not successful the first time you try to quit, don’t give up. Learn from the experience and get back on track right away.

Youth

Since 85 per cent of smokers start before their 16th birthday, if you do not start smoking by 19 you are more likely to never become a regular tobacco user. However, if you are a young person looking to quit and you want youth-friendly material, the following websites have information on tobacco addiction, quitting tips and support from others sharing their stories: www.quit4life.com and www.quittersunite.com

“Traditional tobacco has been used by many Aboriginal people in ceremonies, rituals and prayer for thousands of years,” said Elder Leonard Ward of Stellat’en First Nation, Fraser Lake, BC. “Using tobacco in non-traditional ways like smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco or snuff is abuse of its traditional purpose.”

“For me, I had a hard time health wise. I used to be able to run no problem. The challenge I faced was a lot of negative energy that came whenever I smoke. My father was a traditional healer and he said to give up smoking to the Creator for the purpose of healing. When I started my fast I put four [cigarettes] on the sacred mount in front of the sweat lodge and when I came out I didn’t feel like smoking after that.”

Non-traditional Tobacco Use in BC

British Columbians have made tremendous strides in decreasing smoking trends over the years. BC now has the lowest per capita rate of tobacco use at 14 per cent, however, because of the larger population in the province, it has the fourth highest number of smokers at 550,000 people, with 59 per cent of First Nations adults smokers, which is three times higher than the national average.

Most alarming is among Aboriginal youth with current rates for 15 to 19 years olds ranging from 47 per cent to 82 per cent in some areas, according to the Canadian Pediatric Society.

Smoking  is a rimary risk factor for the top three causes of death in Canada—respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Also, smoking is associated with adverse outcomes for infants and children.

Traditional tobacco use creates positive energy and non-traditional tobacco use creates negative energy.

Ready to put smoking behind you?

Get support from those around you. When you have a good support network of non smokers or others that are trying to quit, you are more likely to succeed. Set a quit date and tell your family and friends so that they can encourage you along the way. For those that are not smokers, think about your loved ones that smoke and make a plan for helping them to quit in a positive way.

Keep a tally sheet on your smoking behaviour to gain a better understanding of patterns, moods, and triggers for cravings

Control cravings using the 4 D’s – Delay by waiting five minutes and seeing if the craving passes. Use deep breathing – in through your mouth and out through your nose for seven seconds. Drink a glass of water slowly. And finally, distract yourself by participating in another healthy behaviour.

Calculate the amount of money you will save by quitting using of non-traditional tobacco. For example, after one month of quitting, you could save approximately $200. What could you do with an extra $200?