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   Cigarette smoking is down, but not for every community. Commercial tobacco use, like smoking, chew, and vapes, are still the greatest preventable cause of death and disease in our state. It’s important to recognize that commercial tobacco is not the same thing as sacred tobacco. Commercial tobacco is manufactured, designed by the tobacco industry to be highly addictive, and contains cancer-causing chemicals. Traditional tobacco is natural and not addictive. It is sometimes referred to as “asemaa” and used by some Tribal communities for prayer, healing, and ceremony.

   There is no safe level of commercial tobacco use or exposure. If you’ve tried to quit or know someone who has, you know it’s tough - but chances are you’re tougher. Quitting cold turkey is the most common way people try, but to be honest, the success rates are low. For adults, the combination of counseling and medications, like NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) in the form of patches, gum, or lozenges more than doubles the chances of quitting for good. For young people, it’s the combination of counseling and education.

   What many people don’t know is whether you have health insurance or not, there is free support available through Quit Partner. Quit Partner offers 24/7 coaching, education, and NRT for eligible participants. The family of Quit Partner programs includes additional specialized support for teens, American Indians, those with mental health diagnoses, and pregnant people. To learn more visit www.quitpartnermn.com or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669). Teens and young adults can text “Start” to 36072.

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