Commercial Tobacco Policies Timeline 

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• 1995 - Navajo Tobacco Products Tax enacted

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• 2008 - Navajo Nation Commercial Tobacco-Free Act of 2008 was passed by the 21st Navajo Nation Council but was vetoed by Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley.

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• 2011 - Navajo Nation Commercial Tobacco-Free Act of 2011 was strategically killed on the floor by Council Delegate Thomas Walker Jr. due to overwhelming support for exempting Navajo casinos.

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• 2011- Navajo Nation Smoke-free Act of 2011, a bill that exempted Navajo Casinos, was passed by the Navajo Nation Council. President Ben Shelly vetoed the legislation. 

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• 2011 - Navajo Nation Commercial Tobacco Taxation Act increased excise taxes on commercial tobacco products by sixty cents. 

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• 2014 - Navajo Nation Commercial Tobacco-Free Executive Order 12-2014 was signed by Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly (this policy only covers the executive branch workplaces).

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• 2014 - Azeé Bee Nahaghá of Diné Nation passed a commercial tobacco policy (ceremonial settings)

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• 2017 - Navajo Nation Peoples of  Initiative for Commercial Tobacco-free Policy of 2017 failed due to lack of voter signatures.

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• 2021 - Navajo Niłch' éí Bee Ííńá - Air is Life Act of 2021 passed by the 24th Navajo Nation Council

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• 2021 - Navajo Niłch' éí Bee Ííńá - Air is Life Act of 2021 signed into law by Navajo Nation President

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• 2022 - Navajo Niłch' éí Bee Ííńá - Air is Life Act of 2021 enacted