Sioux Falls Mayor: I Lost My Father Because of Smoking [VIDEO]

During a kickoff event for the "Great American Smokeout," Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether shared personal testimony about losing his father, a life-long smoker.

Each year on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout by smoking less or quitting for that day.  The event challenges people to stop using tobacco and helps make people aware of the many tools they can use to quit for good.

Smoking is responsible for nearly one in three cancer deaths and one in five deaths from all causes.  Another 8.6 million people are living with serious illnesses caused by smoking.