State Support for Addressing Tobacco Use among American Indians

North Carolina is the country's leading tobacco producing state and the corporate headquarters of many major tobacco companies. It is also home to eight tribes and has the largest American Indian population of any state east of the Mississippi. Tobacco was not only a culturally sacred plant, it was also the economic livelihood of many tribal communities. Smoking rates and the use of commercial tobacco products by American Indians in North Carolina exceeds that of all other ethnic groups in the state. The North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs has worked successfully with the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund and the Tobacco Control Branch to address these health disparities.

Participants will learn how tribes have successfully developed relationships with state agencies and received funding to address health issues impacting American Indians. From faith-based initiatives to the formation of an American Indian Health Board, a holistic multi-tribal approach is being implemented. Participants will gain knowledge of the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund and its funded health initiatives. The design and implementation of the Heritage Month Toolkit, a health resource that combines cultural knowledge with tobacco prevention programming, will be discussed. An overview on program activities, resources developed, coalitions formed, and policies implemented will be given.