With 11 federally recognized tribes, Native Americans comprise .7% of Michigan’s population. Tobacco, also called sayma, is sacred in this community. It is believed to provide spiritual strength, guidance and protection, and is used during prayer, or offered as a sigh of respect. Despite its traditional sacred use, tobacco is commonly abused in the form of cigarettes. Michigan’s 2005 data indicates that the adult smoking rate is 41.2%.
