In 1972, the Bureau of Indian Affairs hired Smith to set up a number of tribal treatment programs across the United States.
[4] In 1972, Al Smith began to work at Sweathouse Lodge, part of the Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon founded on the site of Camp Adair.
His position as treatment coordinator allowed him to combine AA principles with traditional Native spiritual practices, particularly the daily sweat lodge ceremony.
The Oregon Court of Appeals reversed that ruling, holding that denying them unemployment benefits for their religious use of peyote violated their right to exercise their religion.
The state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, again arguing that denying the unemployment benefits was proper because possession of peyote was a crime.