Let’s keep Tobacco Sacred

Did you know tobacco is a sacred plant for many First Nations people? Commercial tobacco products, such as cigarettes, spit tobacco, and nicotine vaping products, are not sacred and can cause great harm. We are working with communities to connect Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Youth in sharing the cultural significance of this sacred plant.

LISTENING TO OUR ELDERS

"In my heart, the tobacco, once it’s lit, the smoke is going to take my message to the Creator for whatever my vows are."

- ELDER GENEVIEVE BRUISED HEAD
"The pipe is our Bible. In it, it contains all the sacredness of our spiritual beliefs. All of our ceremonies are held in that pipe, spiritually speaking"

- ELDER ANDREW BEAR ROBE
"Let’s take the sweet grass, there’s three strands. Each one of them represents mind, body, and spirit. When they smoke that cigarette, because of all those toxics, they all go separate. We get lost."

- ELDER GORDON GLADUE
"We are descendants of our strongest ancestors. In other words, all of us sitting here, in our DNA and in our blood, there’s a reason we’re still here, because we are descendants of those strongest people that walked away from all of the hardships that our people have endured…when you tell our young people that, it puts a different perspective on the way they think."

- ELDER TRAVIS PLAITED HAIR

Supporting Communities to Prevent the Impact of Commercial Tobacco 

VISION

Empowered and healthy Indigenous communities, connected through culture and through emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Mission

To support cultural connectedness and healing through sacred tobacco, to improve health outcomes in Indigenous communities.

Project Purpose

Empowering Elders and Knowledge Keepers to engage and support Indigenous youth in commercial tobacco use and nicotine vaping prevention, through sacred tobacco cultural knowledge restoration and community setting change.

leaders of change

Keep Tobacco Sacred Collaboration Guided by Members and Supported by Community Voices

Treffrey deerfoot

guiding Knowledge Keeper

KIENAN WILLIAMS

INDIGENOUS WELLNESS CORE

LES HAGEN

ACTION ON SMOKING & HEALTH

DR. KATE STOREY

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

DR. BRENT FRIESEN

MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH

DARREL MELVIN

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

SARAH WATERS

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

ANGELINE WEBB

CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY

LEN FRANK

ALBERTA BLUE CROSS

Marjorie Luzentales-Simpson

Indigenous wellness core

Thank you to those who have walked
the path with us

ANGELA ERZA

Our Supportive Health Partners and Engaged Corporate Sponsors

CORPORATE sponsor

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

health PARTNERS

it's time to change the narrative 
​on tobacco

Join our community and be a leader in empowering First Nation's youth to learn more about tobacco’s role in our cultural traditions.

Guide New Initiatives

Lead your community by creating powerful initiatives that encourage First Nations’ youth to engage and celebrate all aspects of Indigenous culture.​
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Share your knowledge

Leverage your power as a community leader to foster positive change by providing First Nations’ youth with more opportunities to learn, understand the sacred use of tobacco.

Put a Stop to Commercial Tobacco

Help stop the use of commercial tobacco by arming your community with the tools needed to create and maintain commercial tobacco prevention, cessation, policy, and programs.

promote community wellness

Be part of the solution when it comes to educating youth about the harmful effects of commercial tobacco, nicotine vaping, and other related tobacco products.

Tools and Resources to Support Your Community

Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and other respected members of the community can make an impact where it matters most: in our communities.

Hear the Voices of your Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Youth