Webinars

MDHHS Webinar: Traditional Tobacco & Sacred Breath

This webinar featured Laura Fisher of the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, who provided educators with an essential overview of the vital distinction between sacred or traditional tobacco and commercial tobacco. The discussion emphasized that for the tribal communities, traditional tobacco is integral to their spiritual identity and used as medicine, contrasting sharply with commercial products which hold no cultural significance but have been aggressively marketed to Native Americans. To combat the resulting high commercial tobacco usage rates and student confusion stemming from historical trauma, the ITCM detailed its strategy of cultural revitalization, promoting the growth of sacred tobacco, creating culturally tailored educational materials like intergenerational PSAs, and working with schools to reform ineffective disciplinary policies related to student vaping.

Slide Deck & Resources