Meeting with Aboriginal Australians

Today, I had the chance to meet with two aboriginal/indigenous Australians who work on the Aboriginal Health Council. Whereas the national smoking rate for all Australians is around 12%, that rate is very different for smaller groups, including the aboriginal Australians. Their rate is 35%, and 49% for pregnant aboriginal women. That means half of pregnant aboriginal women smoke. What I learned in this interview is that the main reason for the high rates is mostly due to the culture of indigenous peoples. Tobacco was used as a form of payment in the 1900's, so that has resonated with the elders, and they don't see their lives without it. They also have their own forms of tobacco, which are purely herbal, meaning there are no added chemicals that we see in mass-produced cigarette brands. These herbal tobacco cigarettes were used to heal the body, so they believe that this outweighs any long term detrimental affects. As for the rate for pregnant women; they smoke because it leads to smaller babies which is "less to push out." There is also a myth that "well, my mom smoked when she carried me, and i'm fine, so I don't see the issue." However, what smoking actually does to these babies is cause ear problems like otitis media, ADHD, chest infections, asthma, and children whose moms smoked while they were in the womb are more likely to start smoking at a younger age (13-18 yrs). As for the high cost of cigarettes, it doesn't seem to affect their willingness to buy them. Indigenous Australians will "reduce bread and milk to get cigarettes. They also know their family will always be there to help them, and they will never starve." Unfortunately, situations like this, as well as other factors, lead to the Department for Child Protection (DCP) coming to "help" and remove the kids from these households, and most of the time they end up in the system if no extended family member can take them due to the number of kids they may already be looking after. So basically the Aboriginal Health Council's purpose is to be visible as help for the indigenous, mainly at community events and on public advertisements. They focus on just getting the conversation started about smoking, they don't want to "force any statistics or jumbled information down their throats, we just want them to know that we are here to help when they make that choice." They offer brochures, apparel for people who do quit (as they say this provides an incentive) toys for kids, posters, car air fresheners, and much more. They also have aboriginal Australian volunteers who share their quitting story because that seems to help more than the mainstream ads which are aimed at the general public, and not the aboriginal people who are facing different situations.