Dear editor,

Executive Director of the Personal Development Center Renee Schulz-Stangl. (Adam Hocking photo)

Wisconsin celebrates a very important birthday this month as our state’s smoke-free law turns 5 years old on Sunday, July 5. That means our businesses have enjoyed five years of cleaner indoor air and healthier employees and customers.

It is hard to believe that smoking conventional cigarettes used to be a regular occurrence in our bars and restaurants. I can remember many years of not going out to eat at local restaurants with my family due to my son’s asthma. Any exposure to secondhand smoke would cause him to feel ill and, depending upon the length of time of exposure, could result in a full-blown asthma attack. Dining out was not something we could enjoy as a family.

Thanks to our state’s smoke-free law, tomorrow’s kids will be just as shocked that smoking was once allowed in restaurants and taverns as today’s kids are that smoking used to be commonplace on airplanes.

Thank you to the Wisconsin lawmakers that passed this landmark legislation and the Wisconsin residents that fought to make it a reality. Wisconsin truly is better with smoke-free air.

Sincerely,

Renee Schulz-Stangl

Personal Development Center executive director and member of the Marshfield Area Coalition for Youth (MACY)

MACY is a coalition consisting of diverse community members working to unite and educate community organizations and members in order to foster healthy, resilient, substance-free youth and families.

Together we can build healthier communities. Join us at marshfield4youth.org.