In Conversation with Dr. Patricia Nez Henderson
As we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month in November, we had a candid conversation with Dr. Patricia Nez Henderson, incoming president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) and a member of the Dine' (Navajo) tribe.
After a long fight led by Dr. Nez Henderson, the Navajo Nation recently passed historic legislation protecting its citizens from secondhand smoke, making all indoor workplaces and public places, including casinos, smoke-free on Navajo land.
We discuss this new law, and we cover a wide range of topics including the commercialization of tobacco, the tobacco industry’s history of targeting Indigenous populations, the obstacles to reducing commercial tobacco use among Indigenous peoples, and what we can do to fight back against the industry.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW:
Commercial tobacco products not only harm the inner essence of who you are but everything around you — and that’s what the industry has done.
Dr. Nez Henderson is a leading authority on tobacco use among Indigenous populations – and a tremendous role model for anyone who aspires to conduct persistent, skilled and strategic advocacy. Watch the full interview where she shares valuable perspectives, lessons and stories from her work.