What is ITAC?

The Intertribal Tobacco Abuse Coalition (ITAC)

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States today.  Tobacco use increases risk for lung and other cancers and for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.  The American Cancer Society estimates that cigarette smoking is responsible for one of every five deaths in the United States, or more than 430,000 deaths per year, 850 of them being North Dakotans.  Tobacco use is costly to North Dakota.  Each year smoking costs the state $351 million in direct medical expenditures and lost productivity, or $552 per capita.

Tobacco use among Native Americans is twice the rate as among non-natives in North Dakota (45 percent versus 22 percent).   The National Center for Health Statistics report for 2000 indicates smoking during pregnancy is also higher among Native Americans compared to non-natives in the state (39 percent versus 19 percent).  The Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service Area has among the highest percent of mothers smoking during pregnancy and also has among the highest lung cancer death rates compared to other Indian Health Service Areas.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Native Americans in the Northern Plains.  Tobacco use is a major risk factor for heart disease. In order to identify and eliminate disparities among specific population groups, additional efforts must be made to reach and involve the Native American population.

The North Dakota Department of Health is the lead agency for statewide administration of tobacco prevention and control activities.  The Division of Tobacco Control with the Department of Health supports tobacco prevention and control efforts at the state and local level.  The major goal is to reduce disease, disability, and death related to tobacco use by:

1. Preventing the initiation of tobacco use among young people
2. Promote quitting among young people and adults
3. Eliminating nonsmokers exposure to secondhand smoke
4. Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects on specific population groups

This goal will be achieved by implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs.  The “Best Practices” identify nine essential components for an effective, comprehensive program including: community programs, chronic disease programs, school programs, enforcement, statewide programs, counter marketing, cessation programs, surveillance and evaluation, and administration and management.

The role of the Native American Training Institute will be to coordinate the activities of the ITAC and provide technical assistance and training to the tribal tobacco coordinators in the state.    

NATI will:

• Coordinate regular meeting of the ITAC via conference call and face-to-face meetings.
• Provide technical assistance and consultation to the ITAC grantees sites on grant writing including budget preparation, development and implementation of goals and objectives, use of evidence-based strategies, and monitoring and surveillance.
• Provide training to key individuals on each reservation on the basic principles of tobacco use prevention and control based on CDC’s Best Practices.
  Provide training, technical assistance and consultation on community mobilization and coalition building.
• Encourage reservation participation in the state-sponsored trainings, quarterly sites meetings and monthly newsletter.
• Encourage and facilitate discussion between the reservations and local public health units regarding the Community Health Grant Program (Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement funds) and allocations for tobacco control.

(North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Tobacco Control)