Effect of smoking on Aboriginal communities

In many Aboriginal communities, ritual tobacco is sacred, a source of spiritual purification. Commercial tobacco inflicts great damage on Aboriginal communities’ health and spiritual wellness. ‘Traditional Tobacco is a Healer – Commercial tobacco is a Killer’.In Aboriginal communities tobacco’s is one of the Four Sacred Medicines along with sage, cedar and sweetgrass, and the Seven Teachings of the Grandfathers, all emphasize the spiritual healing properties of traditional tobacco use.Now First Nations’ youth is highly dependent on tobacco .To prevent this dependence on tobacoo a special attention was paid to this group and several presenters from northern communities outlined programs to reawaken respect for traditional uses of sacred tobacco. The focus on youth was highlighted with presentations by the Aboriginal Kid’s Club from Queen Mary School in Hamilton using colourful props to illustrate the medical hazards of smoking, including graphic models of various types of cancers caused by smoking.