The Good: My generation, the generation who went to kindergarten without computers and now can’t be separated from them, was constantly exposed to the anti-smoking message. We heard the “Just Say No”, the D.A.R.E. program chased us all through middle and elementary school, and the Lung Mobile showed some of us the glory of a smoker’s lung.

That being said, it makes me happy to say that something is working. A new study shows that teens who live in towns with smoking bans in bars, restaurants, or workplaces are less likely to smoke. The study was conducted over the course of four years in Massachusetts, a state that had only city-based smoking laws at the time. The study regularly contacted almost 3,000 teens aged 12 to 17 over the four years to see who became a smoker, characterized as smoking 100 or more cigarettes. The study showed that when teens were less exposed to cigarettes and saw community disapproval for cigarettes (via the ban) they were less likely to smoke. This just goes to show that it does take a village to raise a child.

The Bad: Postpartum depression is depression with feelings of emptiness after the birth of a baby. Postpartum depression is typically attributed to women, but a study has now shown that men do experience postpartum depression. It seems that 10% of new fathers have some sort of depression following the birth of their child. Many fathers try to hide their depression, in order to put the mother and baby first, but experts say this is a major problem. Fathers who have this depression are less likely to interact and read with their children, and this can negatively impact the child’s vocabulary and language skills. Signs to look for? Any changes beyond normal fatigue after the child’s birth could be possible warning signs. Do not be afraid to ask for help if you feel increased sadness, aggression, or have suicidal thoughts.