If you have ever driven past a smoke shop on a First Nations reserve in Canada, you may have wondered how it all fits together. Tobacco is a health topic most parents talk about with their kids, so it can be surprising to learn that, for many First Nations, it is also a sacred plant.
Both things are true. Here is a simple guide to what tobacco means to First Nations communities, how that tradition differs from the cigarettes sold in stores, and what the shops you see today are about.
What does tobacco mean to First Nations people?
For many First Nations, tobacco is one of the sacred medicines. It was given to the people to help them communicate with the Creator. It is used in prayer, in ceremonies and as an offering of thanks.
A small pinch of tobacco might be placed on the ground before harvesting a plant, offered to an Elder when asking for advice, or burned so that its smoke can carry a prayer. Used this way, tobacco is about respect, gratitude and connection, not habit.
What is the difference between traditional and commercial tobacco?
This is the part many people don’t know.
Traditional tobacco is usually a different plant, Nicotiana rustica. It is grown, harvested and prepared with care, often by the family or community that will use it. It is used in small amounts, for a purpose, and it is not inhaled day to day.
Commercial tobacco is the cigarette most of us picture: Nicotiana tabacum, factory-made, packaged, and smoked as a habit. It came into wide use much later, through trade and industry.
Many Indigenous health programs in Canada teach this exact difference. Their message is simple: keep tobacco sacred, and keep commercial tobacco away from kids.
Why are there so many smoke shops on reserves?
Drive through communities like Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario and you will see a lot of tobacco shops. There are a few reasons.
- Self-government. First Nations communities have their own laws and run their own businesses on their land.
- Local jobs. Tobacco shops, and the factories that make native cigarettes, employ many people in communities where jobs can be hard to find.
- Price. Cigarettes made and sold in First Nations communities cost far less than the same carton at a corner store off-reserve.
That price difference is why many adult smokers across Canada now buy native smokes online and have them shipped. Indigenous-owned shops such as Healing Room on Six Nations publish their prices openly, and theirs are some of the cheapest native smokes in the country, at $21.00 a carton.
How should families talk about tobacco with kids?
If your children see smoke shops on a road trip, or learn about tobacco in school, it can be a good chance to talk. A few ideas:
- Separate the two meanings. Tobacco can be a sacred plant in some cultures, and cigarettes are still harmful to your health. Kids can hold both ideas.
- Talk about respect. Learning why a plant matters to a culture is a lesson in respect, even if your family doesn’t use it.
- Be clear on the rules. Buying or using commercial tobacco is for adults only. Every province sets a legal age, and legitimate shops check ID.
- Keep it honest. If you smoke, kids will notice. Talking openly about it, and about wanting them to make healthier choices, goes further than a lecture.
Where can families learn more?
If you are in southern Ontario, the area around the Grand River is a good place to start. Six Nations of the Grand River is the most populated First Nation in Canada, and it is home to the six Haudenosaunee nations: Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora.
Nearby, the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford shares Haudenosaunee history, art and language. In summer, the Grand River Champion of Champions Pow Wow welcomes visitors to see dancing, drumming and food.
Frequently asked questions
What is sacred tobacco?
Sacred or traditional tobacco is tobacco used in First Nations prayer and ceremony, often the plant Nicotiana rustica. It is offered and burned with respect, not smoked as a habit.
Is traditional tobacco the same as cigarettes?
No. Traditional tobacco is usually a different plant, prepared by hand and used in small amounts for ceremony. Cigarettes are factory-made commercial tobacco.
Why are native cigarettes cheaper?
Native cigarettes are made and sold in First Nations communities, which set their own prices. A carton costs a fraction of what it does at an off-reserve store.
Can anyone buy native smokes?
Only adults of legal smoking age in their province. Real shops ask for ID at the counter and when an order is delivered.
Native smokes are for adults of legal smoking age only. Smoking is harmful to your health.
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