ABSTRACT American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest prevalence of commercial smoking among all U.S. racial/ethnic groups and high rates of smoking-related morbidity and mortality. To achieve reducing commercial tobacco use, reclaiming traditional tobacco use, and heath equity for AI/AN communities, the National Tribal Tobacco Conference (hybrid) is being proposed to be held in May 2022 with an anticipated audience size of 150 persons. AI/AN public health professionals, community stakeholders and allies will come together virtually or in person in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the University of Minnesota for the 2-day conference to accomplish these aims: 1) Share cutting- edge and existing, best-practice, approaches and policy efforts to reduce commercial tobacco use among AI/ANs, 2) Learn how traditional tobacco can be integrated into the fight against commercial tobacco use, and 3) Foster new collaborations to reclaim and restore traditional tobacco and combat commercial tobacco use. The conference will emphasize the respect and preservation of traditional tobacco represented in the Conference’s theme “Reclaiming and Restoring Traditional Tobacco in Today’s World.” A Steering Committee of AIAN public health professionals and allies have meet biweekly to coordinate and have planned a 2-hour mini conference (prelude) to be held virtually in October 2021 to promote the national conference and to gather feedback from attendees on the agenda. This conference is long overdue with the last national level conference dedicated to this topic occurring 15 years ago. The National Tribal Tobacco Conference will provide the opportunity to foster new collaborations, network and rebuild commercial tobacco strategies, preserve traditional tobacco, and lead new novel ways to reduce commercial tobacco use with prevention, education, cessation, and policy efforts to create healthier AIAN communities.

PROJECT NARRATIVE Although many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes have historically used tobacco for spiritual purposes (i.e., traditional tobacco), the use of commercially produced tobacco has risen dramatically among AI/ANs and as a result AI/AN have high rates of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Organized efforts are needed to bring AI/AN public health professionals, community stakeholders and allies together to prevent the tragic burden caused by commercial tobacco use among AI/ANs from continuing. The 2-day National Tribal Tobacco Conference will fight commercial tobacco with traditional tobacco and through dissemination of best practices and fostering of new partnerships and therefore has great potential to contribute to reducing the grave individual, community, and societal burdens of commercial tobacco among AI/ANs.