This Father’s Day, 2,600 Arkansas Kids Will Be Without Their Dads - June 18th, 2008
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (June 12, 2008) – Stamp Out Smoking, the media and public relations campaign for the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program, is encouraging dads this Father’s Day to remember the important role they play in their children’s lives. Father’s Day, on June 15, is an excellent opportunity for fathers who smoke or use smokeless tobacco to start the process of quitting, not only for their own health but also for the health of their children.
According to a report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 216,000 children in the United States will be without their dads this Father’s Day due to smoking-caused death. Of that number, 2,600 are Arkansas children. Each year, 360 or more will lose their fathers to tobacco in our state alone.
“Unfortunately, for far too many Arkansas families, Father’s Day will not be a time for celebrating their dads,” said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, Director of the Center for Health Advancement at the Arkansas Department of Health. “It is especially heart-breaking to see the number of children who have lost their fathers to tobacco, because tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Arkansas. In addition, tobacco use places a heavy financial burden on Arkansas families, with more than $517.6 million being spent each year in health care costs to treat male smokers. We hope that fathers who smoke or use smokeless tobacco will celebrate their special day by quitting tobacco for the sake of their families.
In 2009, an estimated 3,100 Arkansas men will lose their lives due to smoking. Babies exposed to secondhand smoke face a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome and a range of other serious health and development problems. Secondhand smoke can also result in increased school absenteeism, emergency room visits and hospitalization among older children, and may lead to the development of cancer during adulthood.
If you need help quitting or additional information about tobacco cessation, visit stampoutsmoking.com or call the SOS Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
