Taking it outside

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Monday, March 12, 2007

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RAPID CITY — Ginna Arguello smokes a pack of cigarettes a day.

The 31-year-old academic counselor at Oglala Lakota College began her cigarette habit at 15. Recently, she’s noticed her 16-year addiction has affected her general health as well as gouging her budget. Yet, it hasn’t quite deterred her from cutting back as much as a very cold day has, she said.

“I’ll go out there when it is blowing snow and windy,” she said. “I might only smoke half a cigarette if it’s really cold.”

But half a cigarette is something to celebrate when looking at reducing smoking rates in Indian Country, according to Favian Kennedy, Northern Plains Tobacco Prevention Project program director.

Through campaigns and tribal government policies, the Northern Plains Tobacco Prevention Project is working toward eliminating second-hand smoke from tribal buildings, clinics, hospitals, schools, homes and vehicles, Kennedy said.

Although 20 percent of South Dakota’s general population smokes, it is much higher for American Indians in the Northern Plains, who have the highest commercial tobacco use rates in the nation.

“Fifty percent of Native Americans smoke,” Kennedy said.

Although restricting smoking in public spaces may seem like an indirect way to get an individual to quit, it has had good results, he said.

Kennedy’s group, along with various tribal groups and state health organizations, has worked on several initiatives that in the long-term will curb smoking in Indian County.

“We want people to know that second-hand smoke is detrimental to your health. Even minimal exposure can cause immediate damage to your lungs,” he said.

Recently, the tobacco prevention project along with the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, South Dakota Department of Health and the National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network hosted a workshop on tribal tobacco policy development.

About 60 people representing 17 different tribes from South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa attended presentations about smoke-free policy benefits, planning, implementation and evaluating tobacco policies, coalition building and policy enforcement.

“It’s a major training component to get a lot of information out at one time,” Kennedy said.

Previously, the Northern Plains Tobacco Prevention Project had begun a successful 13-month grassroots approach to reduce the number of Indian children and pregnant women exposed to second-hand smoke.

In 2006, the program’s goal was to recruit 1,500 people in tribal communities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa to pledge not to smoke in their homes or cars.

Since then, 3,000 people pledged not to smoke in their homes or their cars. They

also established rules that no one else would smoke in the home or car.

“We never anticipated reaching that many people,” Kennedy said. “That’s a big victory here.”

But voluntary pledges don’t work in public spaces. The tribes must develop policies to limit exposure to second-hand smoke, Kennedy said.

Oglala Lakota College’s Rapid City campus has never allowed smoking within its facility, reducing the exposure of its students, faculty and staff to the dangers of second-hand smoke.

Gloria Eastman, student support services counselor, said the He Sapa Center of Oglala Lakota College in Rapid City has always been a smoke-free facility.

“You have to go outside if you want to smoke,” Eastman said.

This includes OLC staff.

Counselors Leatrice Wilson and Arguello share an office and a smoking habit.

Wilson described herself as someone who only smokes in social situations.

She takes three smoking breaks each day, leaving her office to brave the elements and the outdoors throughout the year.

Although Wilson tries not to smoke at home or in her car, she said leaving her work and office to go outside to smoke is a good deterrent.

“I’m very conscious about that,” she said.

Because of the nagging cough, growing expense and limited places to smoke, Arguello is considering curbing her tobacco habit.

“I’m well on my way to getting a nicotine patch,” she said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.

Facts about second-hand smoke tell a disturbing tale

Northern Plains Tobacco Prevention Project released information about tobacco use, second-hand smoke and its effects on people.

* American Indians living in the Northern Plains states have the highest commercial tobacco-use rates in the nation.

* Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to suffer from bronchitis and pneumonia, ear and respiratory infections and asthma.

* Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to have difficulty in school and make more frequent visits to the doctor.

* Tobacco contains more than 4,000 chemicals and 43 different carcinogens; many of these are toxic and known to cause cancer.

* Tobacco is addictive and even those who smoke for a short time can have difficulty quitting.

* A pack-a-day habit has an annual cost of $1,642.42, which doesn’t include costs for tobacco-related illnesses or doctor visits.

* Second-hand smoke has been linked to as many as 26,000 new cases of asthma and as many as 300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children each year.

* Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have babies with lower birth weights, health problems and much higher rates of infant mortality.

* Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have complications during pregnancy and preterm labor.

* Cancer is now the second leading cause of death for American Indians, who also have the lowest cancer survival rates.

* Cancer rates among Indians have dramatically increased in the past 20 years.

* Rooms contaminated by second-hand smoke can have pollution levels six times higher than a busy highway.

* It can take as long as two weeks for nicotine to clear from a room.

* Moving to another room, turning on a fan, opening a window or using air fresheners or candles have little effect on second-hand smoke.

Source: Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairman’s Health Board

For information, contact Favian Kennedy at 721-1922 or the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairman’s Health Board at 1-800-745-3466.