As cigarette smoking rates have dropped across the United States, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults continue to smoke at high levels. Cigarette smoking is a major cause of preventable death for AI/AN, including heart disease and lung cancer. In fact, the mortality rate for AI/AN smokers is double that of non-smokers nationwide.

For years, the tobacco industry used romanticized images of American Indians and Alaska Natives to market their products. This marketing tactic not only misappropriated tribal culture, but it also reinforced harmful stereotypes about Indigenous people. One of the most notorious examples is the Natural American Spirit cigarette packaging that featured Native headdresses, totem poles, and other traditional symbols.

The Story Behind Native Cigarettes: History and Heritage

Today, many Native-owned and operated tobacco companies have begun producing and marketing cigarettes that are made of sacred traditional tobacco. These cigarettes, called Native Cigarettes, are available online and in smoke shops throughout the country. These brands seek to reclaim traditional tobacco as part of a healthy lifestyle, and many believe they can help decrease the rate of smoking among AI/AN communities.

But there are some challenges. For one, Native Cigarettes are not subject to the same state and local tobacco taxes that have helped drive down smoking rates in general populations. This can make them cheaper to purchase, and it can complicate efforts to implement policies like clean indoor air and retail practice standards on reservation lands. To address these challenges, many organizations are working to create and distribute more culturally appropriate messages that help AI/AN people think differently about both traditional tobacco and commercial cigarettes.