Ritual Use of Tobacco in the Andes Institute of Regional Science and Technology (ICTER), Jujuy Argentina Funded by Research on International Tobacco Control (RITC/IDRC) Canada Ethel Alderete 1, Omar Jerez 1, Ana Heras 3 1 Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, 2 CONICET

Jujuy, Argentina

Developing Youth Leadership In Tobacco Control Through Action Research Strategic Tobacco Control Plan  Prevention  Policy  Health Promotion Cultural Factors

 To understand the meaning of ritual use of tobacco  To asses relationship between ritual use of tobacco and youth smoking initiation Ritual Tobacco Use Purpose

 Research site: Province of Jujuy, Argentina  Demographics: Kolla and Guarani Natives, and European descent  Data: 69 qualitative interviews, 6 focus groups, youth years old  Ethnogaphic and content analysis Methods

Precede/Proceed Model (Green Richard and Potvin 1996) Theoretical framework Traditional ceremony: Pachamama Offerings to Mother Earth PREDISPOSING FACTORS Beliefs, Attitudes ENABLING FACTORS Media, Policy REINFORCING FACTORS Family, Peers Individual and Organizational behavior Environment Condition of living Health

Place of origin: N.W. Region of Argentina/S. Bolivia  Gender Nicotiana: more than 45 species  Wild species: N. sylvestris, N.otophora  Domestic species: N. tabacum N. rustica  Psychothropic species: N. glauca N. glutinosa  Medicinal properties: stimulant, analgesic Evidence of psychothropic substances consumption in the Andes: 2,000 BC Tobacco species

“Pachamama is Mother Earth, we show our gratefulness in August when we begin to seed the earth” (Male 14 yrs.) The Ceremony “The hosts give each guest a cigarette, the cigarette you do not smoke, you have to light it with the embers of “coa” and set it on the earth for the earth to smoke, if you smoke it, it is an offence” (Male 14 yrs.) Ritual use of tobacco (Pachamama-Mother Earth)

 All participants, light a cigarette and lay it on the ground to be consumed by Mother Earth  Adults may smoke one cigarette  Children may offer cigarette but do not smoke Ritual use of tobacco (Pachamama-Mother Earth)

 Communication with the spiritual world  Reciprocity and appreciation  Reinforces ethnic identity  Reinforces social relationships  Transmision of culture Meaning  Pleasure  Socializing with friends  Appearing grown-up  Popularity with girls  Relief for problems and stress Western style of smoking To harm themselves/ suicidal ideation To warm up in cold weather To relieve physical pain To ease hard work Ritual

 Within household  Among family members  Three or more generations participate Ritual Western style of smoking  In public places, school  In parties  With friends Context

 Elders lead the ceremony  Youth not allowed to smoke Traditional Western style of smoking Rules  Absence of norms or regulations for  purchase  advertisement  smoking in public places

 Smoking initiation was not found to be related to the ritual  Results in agreement with findings among North American Indian Youth  Intiation occurs while socializing with friends, for curiosity or peer pressure Findings

Knowledge and information  The “power” of tobacco, positive/ritual (bridge with the spiritual world) and negative (health consequences)  Impact of colonization, manipulating ritual elements (coca, alcohol, tobacco) Implications for prevention Social Functioning/Policy  Compliance of government legislation with ancestral norms that restrict and regulate tobacco use

 Are ritual celebrations associated to adult smoking behavior? Future research questions