My Dad Quit Cigarettes in 1984. To Doctors, He Was Always a “Smoker.”
July 16, 2025 by filtermag.org
My Dad Quit Cigarettes in 1984. To Doctors, He Was Always a “Smoker.”
The text recounts the author's father's life, battling smoking-related stigma and health issues. Despite tobacco control efforts leading to reduced smoking rates in Canada, stigma towards smokers remains. The father's health issues were wrongly attributed to his smoking history until a tumor was found and treated successfully. The author advocates for ending the stigma, promoting harm reduction, and providing dignity to current and former smokers. The focus is on healthcare equity, empathy, and honest harm reduction discussions. The narrative stresses the importance of not stigmatizing nicotine users and calls for tobacco control leaders to support harm reduction initiatives without repeating past mistakes.
