Australian and New Zealand journal of public health
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Apr 2002
Historical and cultural roots of tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Tobacco smoking has been identified as a major contributor to the high morbidity and mortality rates of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. After years of inattention, smoking cessation projects designed for Indigenous Australians are beginning to emerge. ⋯ Historical records and mission documents, together with ethnographic accounts, suggest that Indigenous tobacco use today demonstrates strong continuity with past patterns and styles of use. These sources also reveal that Europeans deliberately exploited Aboriginal addiction to nicotine.