Event Details

Supporting Smoking Cessation in Indigenous Communities

Tobacco holds a sacred role in many Indigenous communities. However, the rise of commercial tobacco use has led to disproportionately high rates of smoking-related illness and death in Indigenous communities. This presentation explores the distinction between traditional and commercial tobacco and highlights the importance of culturally inclusive cessation support. The Talk Tobacco program is a free, confidential Quitline developed with guidance from First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous communities and partners. Talk Tobacco offers phone-based support tailored to Indigenous values, providing respectful, trauma-informed coaching to help individuals quit/reduce smoking or vaping. Talk Tobacco empowers Indigenous callers on their journey to wellness by bridging cultural understanding with evidence-based practices.

Intended audience: Public health practitioners, health care professionals, individuals interested in commercial tobacco and nicotine cessation services, and those working with Indigenous individuals and communities.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between traditional and commercial tobacco use in Indigenous contexts.
• Recognize the cultural, historical, and social factors influencing commercial tobacco use in Indigenous communities.
• Describe the role and effectiveness of the Talk Tobacco program.
• Understand and perform the referral process to the Talk Tobacco program.

Presenter(s): Deena Klodt (she/her)

Deena Klodt joins us from her homelands of Manitoba where she is a Red River Métis citizen, wife, mother to three children and dog enthusiast. Deena has worked frontline in cancer care and now in cancer prevention for the past 12 years, within both urban and remote Indigenous communities in her capacity as a Social Worker. Her current work is within cancer prevention as a Senior Specialist with Talk Tobacco, a helpline dedicated to smoking cessation for Indigenous Peoples. Deena works with Indigenous communities and partners across Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan to promote and raise awareness about Talk Tobacco, prevention, and smoking cessation.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Accessibility

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.