The Native Center for Behavioral Health published its second issue of Prevention in our Native Communities in December. The center is a research group directed by Prof. Anne Helene Skinstad in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health.

This issue covered the topic of tobacco in Native communities and the dichotomy that exists between the use of addictive tobacco products and the importance of traditional tobacco use for ceremonies and sacred practice.

In an interview about her experience working on tobacco prevention, Dr. Rima Afifi — interim head of the Department of Community and Behavioral Health — spoke about successes she experienced in promoting protective factors among indigenous communities in Lebanon, and how this might relate to Native communities in the U.S.

This newsletter is available on the website for the National American Indian & Alaska Native Prevention Technology Transfer Center.