The Sacred Use of Tobacco Elain Cimino, Ann Marie Sayers and Richard Roods Costanoan Ohlone Indian Canyon Resource Tobacco has been used for many generations as offerings to the spirits, for planting, for gathering food, for healings and for ceremonies. The sacred uses of tobacco are different for many tribes but a basic truth remains, tobacco should be used for prayer, protection, respect and healings.
Tobacco is medicine.
Tobacco was used as medicine before first contact. In 1723 Maryland and Virginia exported thirty thousand kegs per year requiring 200 ships to transport it. Still to this very day one can walk through the nations capital building and see tobacco leaves sculpted to the columns. The consequences of the dominate culture exploitation is evident today in the commercialization which glamorizes cigarette abuse. This raises a confusing conflict between abuse and the necessary place of tobacco within the native cultural community.