Celebrate Father's Day without the Butts!

With Father's Day quickly approaching, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has published data about the detrimental effects tobacco has on fathers every year nationwide and specifically in Wisconsin. Take a look at some of these facts:

• Nearly 20% (415, 300) of all men in Wisconsin smoke.
  
  
• On average, 4500 men die of smoking-related diseases in Wisconsin every year.
  
  
• 2900 children in Wisconsin have already lost their fathers to smoking-related diseases, and 410 will continue to lose their fathers to smoking each year.
  
  
• Wisconsin pays $1,248,700,000 every year in health costs to treat male smokers.

Follow these guidelines to protect your children from the harms of secondhand smoke and from lighting up themselves:

• Quit smoking! Even if you've struggled, keep trying! Children with a parent who smokes are twice as likely to begin smoking.
  
  
• Don’t allow smoking in your home or your car.
  
  
• Talk to your children about any questions they have about smoking and clear up any misunderstandings.
  
  
• Support tobacco prevention efforts and smoke-free laws locally, statewide, and nationally.

This June 15^th, remember that you play a major role in your children's opinions about smoking. Teach your children about the harms of tobacco and enjoy your Father’s Day without the butts!