Letter to the editor:
Okay, let’s just admit it… dads get the short end of the stick when it comes to Father’s Day. On Mother’s Day we shower mom with flowers, cards, brunches and everything in between. Mother’s day is the second biggest day of the year for florists, right behind Valentine’s Day.
We don’t need any help showing our moms some love, but what about dad?
The Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention Poverty Network (WTPPN) suggests that, if dad smokes, one of the best (and priceless) gifts you can give him is the ‘gift of life.’ Have the ‘talk’ with him about his use of tobacco and convince him that you love him too much to watch him continue to smoke! Gone are the days of giving dad his favorite cigars, or smoking jacket.
It’s time to take action, help him realize how much you love and appreciate him by enrolling him in a cessation program or better yet and commit to helping him quit.
While strides have been made with the passing of Wisconsin’s smoke-free legislation, smoke-free air is still a problem, especially in the home. And, tobacco remains the number one preventable cause of death in Wisconsin.
The WTPPN is encouraging dad to celebrate Father’s Day by committing to quit smoking and talk to your kids about not starting. If you don’t smoke, don’t allow your children to frequent establishments or homes where there is second-hand tobacco smoke.
Enjoy your Father’s Day and keep it smoke-free!
Kevin Reeder, MSW, CSWM
Social Services Director
Wisconsin/Upper Michigan Division
The Salvation Army
