In a 20-3 vote, members of the 24th Navajo Nation Council passed Legislation No. 0174-21, the Niłch’ éí Bee Ííńá−Air is Life Act of 2021, which bans using commercial tobacco products in enclosed, indoor workplaces or public places and within 25 feet of any indoor area throughout the Navajo Nation.
Delegate Carl Slater said, “The Air is Life Act is important to the livelihood of our families. Now more than ever, we need to protect the quality of our sacred, life-giving force, our air. This legislation is more important than profit. It is about protecting the lives of our casino workers, our tribal employees, and our loved ones from the harm of smoking commercial tobacco.”
Delegate Nathaniel Brown added, “Niłch’ éí Bee Ííńá represents the oxygen we breathe to live and exist every day. We need to protect our people at all costs and this includes our hardworking staff employed by the casinos. We all know the health risks from commercial tobacco, including deadly cancers. Life is sacred and this legislation sends that message.”
The Air is Life Act is the result of the Air of Life Coalition’s 13-year effort to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke and to organize communities behind a comprehensive smoke-free bill.
