[HealthyTribes] President Ben Shelly Signs Executive Order for Commercial Tobacco-free Environments on Navajo Nation

[Becky M WRIGHT]

Fantastic News! The Navajo Nation joins the Blackfeet Nation and Fort
Peck Tribes as the third Indian Nation to go tobacco free!
By Executive Order of the President, all indoor public places and
workplaces, including casinos, within Navajo Nation will soon be 100%
smokefree.  According to the last language we have seen, this is
scheduled to take effect in 90 days.  In addition, no commercial tobacco
products of any kind will be allowed indoors. Congratulations to TEAM
Navajo!
Media Release
Tuesday, April 26, 2011                                                
   
Contact: Patricia Nez Henderson, email: pnhenderson at bhcaih.org 
 
Navajo Nation Historic Event: President Ben Shelly Signs Executive
Order for Commercial Tobacco-free Environments on Navajo Nation 
Window Rock, AZ -- Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly in an historic
event Tuesday, April 26 signed an Executive Order protecting employees
and the public on the Navajo Nation from exposure to commercial tobacco
smoke in all workplaces and public places. 
The primary goal is to improve the health of Navajo people while
respecting traditional practices and ceremonies associated with
traditional tobacco use. Today President Shelly fulfilled his campaign
promise and established a commercial tobacco free environment in all
workplaces and public places within the Navajo Nation.  Secondhand smoke
increases the risk of heart disease, asthma, lung and other cancers, and
has been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as
a Group A carcinogen. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand
smoke and ventilation technology does not ensure protection from
secondhand smoke and its health-related illnesses.
The use of commercial tobacco products will be prohibited in indoor
public places and workplaces, and within 25 feet of entrances so as to
prevent secondhand smoke from entering those areas. 
*Each day hundreds if not thousands of Navajo people are involuntarily
exposed to chemicals that we know are harmful.  It is the duty of the
Navajo Nation President to put the health of our people first. This
executive order will assure that our people*s health is protected* said
Ben Shelly, the President of the Navajo Nation. 
*Every person on the Navajo Nation has the right to breathe smoke-free
air in public and work places,* said Dr. Nez-Henderson.  She added, *The
Navajo people stand firmly behind President Shelly in their support of a
strong tobacco-free policy.  A poll conducted in 2009 indicated that 91%
of Navajo people support making workplaces free from commercial tobacco
use, with no exemption for casinos. TEAM Navajo never stopped fighting
for the health of all Navajo people because no workers should be left
behind.*
 
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TEAM Navajo is a coalition of health advocates and organizations
working to pass strong tobacco-free policy to protect the health of the
people of the Navajo Nation for the past four years, taking commercial
tobacco out of all workplaces and indoor public places on the Navajo
Nation while respecting traditional tobacco use 
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