Yet another sacrifice one must make to serve their country. What do you think, bad or good idea??? In my opinion, good idea to help smokers quit, probably not a great idea to restrict smokers from serving in the military...much like it's a bad idea to tell gays they can't serve.

Panel suggests eliminating tobacco from military within 20 years
By Travis J. Tritten, Stars and Stripes
Online edition, Tuesday, July 1, 2009


RELATED STORIES: Debate swirls over smoking in Air Force homes; Misawa adds more smoke-free housing

A complete ban on tobacco in the military is needed but would likely take about 20 years, according to a new Institute of Medicine study commissioned by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

The ban is possible if the DOD begins to "close the pipeline of new tobacco users entering the military" and slowly cuts off supplies of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, the Committee on Smoking Cessation in Military and Veteran Populations found in its study, which was released Friday.

The DOD and VA asked the institute for recommendations on how to deal with smoking among servicemembers.

The study gives a bleak account of the health and financial toll tobacco takes on the military, which has nearly twice the smoking rate of the civilian population.

More than 30 percent of servicemembers smoke or use tobacco, though smokeless tobacco use is less certain. Those people are more likely to drop out of basic training, have poor vision, leave the service within the first year, get sick and miss work, according to the study findings.

The 15-member committee of doctors and health care professionals said the best way to reduce the problem is to eliminate it through a phased-in tobacco ban across the services.

First, officer academies and basic training should go smoke-free and enforce the rule through urine screening. Those who test positive for nicotine could be required to take smoking cessation therapy.

All services could be free of tobacco in 20 years — if the recruit screening begins within one year, the committee said.

The study also recommended that all military installations should move toward a ban on tobacco sales by barring Army and Air Force grocery stores from selling tobacco products and increasing prices at exchange stores. The Navy and Marine Corps already have stopped selling tobacco in their commissaries.

“At the same time that tobacco results in high health care costs and productivity losses for DOD, the department earns substantial net revenues from the sale of tobacco products in military commissaries and exchanges,” the committee wrote.

{snip}


In 2005, the military sold $611 million worth of tobacco and $88 million was pumped back into community programs at military installations.

But those proceeds are dwarfed by the health care costs of treating sick smokers.

The military health system spent $564 million on smoking-related illnesses in 2006. The VA spent over $5 billion in 2005 to treat a common respiratory ailment that is caused by smoking, the study said.

Meanwhile, the military needs additional focus on smoking cessation programs, which are made available to servicemembers hoping to quit.

The NIH researchers said many in the DOD have avoided pressuring smokers deployed to war zones to enter smoking cessation programs, and they had trouble finding DOD documentation on whether those smoking cessation programs were helping people quit.

“This does not inspire confidence that the programs are meeting the needs of military personnel and it prevents contributions from outside personnel on how the programs might be improved,” researchers wrote.

The cessation programs should be improved and even deployed servicemembers must be encouraged to quit tobacco by commanders, the committee recommended.

++++http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63542

© 2009 Stars and Stripes. All Rights Reserved.

Basic Training IS smoke-free and has been for at least 15 years.

So, they are worried about us smoking? They need to be worried about the Soldiers who are injured from WAR first - giving them the care they need and deserve!!!!! I went to the VA Hospital ER two days ago and had to wait 7 HOURS to get in and they are worried about this?

They already offer programs to help GI's stop smoking. They are ADULTS and if they want to smoke, let them. This is f*ing ridiculous.

Tobacco will be an illegal drug in 10 years, so this is really a moot issue.

quote:

Originally posted by Kegler300:
Tobacco will be an illegal drug in 10 years, so this is really a moot issue.

I'm stocking up now to sell to all the tob-heads..I'm going to make a fortune.

quote:

Originally posted by Persy:
Basic Training IS smoke-free and has been for at least 15 years.

So, they are worried about us smoking? They need to be worried about the Soldiers who are injured from WAR first - giving them the care they need and deserve!!!!! I went to the VA Hospital ER two days ago and had to wait 7 HOURS to get in and they are worried about this?

They already offer programs to help GI's stop smoking. They are ADULTS and if they want to smoke, let them. This is f*ing ridiculous.

100% agree.

We are professional soldiers and adults that fight for freedom. So you want to take away OUR freedom?

Fix the VA. Then come lecture me about my habits. Clean your own house before finding dust bunnies in mine.

Yeah, they are right. In my 23 years I saw soooooo many first termers dropping out due to smoking.

I hate it when government gets into social engineering.

Inevitably, we'd run out of chew in the field. We weren't allowed to smoke at night (obviously), so we saved up those Sanka coffee packets from those that didn't like coffee and dipped them like Copenhagen on night road marches.

wellllllll there goes

"smoke em if ya got em, for those that don't fall in for police call"

Never going to happen. Perhaps if they preceded a tobacco ban with a strict enforcement of mandatory 8 hours of sleep a night.

This is BS. Also why should it take 20 years?

Just write a new regulation that on Jan 1st 2010 all use of tobacco by military personel is illeagal!

Enforce this by adding it on the urine test.

Punishment would be lossing stripes,just like everything else that troops get in truble for.

The heck with the troops carrer or retirement, Just do what the reg says or else LOL.

I can see it now!

Hey Joe weren,t you a Master sergant last week?

Yes I was but I got caught smoking in the boys room and now I am a Technical sergant LOL.

I dunno ... I have mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand: we're all adults, freedom of choice, it's a legal substance, yadda yadda.

On the other: we don't allow drinking on duty, either - and alcohol is legal for those over 21, if they choose to drink. There are consequences for abusing alcohol, up to and including getting booted out of the military.

I've seen the consequences of tobacco use (alcohol, too) from the healthcare side. Right now I have a 22-year-old patient who finished nearly a year-long course of treatment for a form of cancer and is finally being returned to duty - yet he smokes like a chimney, coughs incessantly (unrelated to his cancer, which is in full remission) and can barely pass the APFT (also unrelated to his cancer).

I have NO PROBLEM with prohibiting use of tobacco or tobacco products in, on or around military facilities, properties, installations, training areas, vehicles or anything else owned by the military. We don't allow drinking on duty, yet it's legal; why should we permit tobacco use? The only places I would excuse from a flat-out ban are quarters and sections of barracks set aside for tobacco users (better yet, separate barracks buildings) - just as people can drink in their own quarters or barracks rooms.

Prohibiting use of a legal but harmful substance has precedence, so it doesn't bother me a bit - and might save a few lives in the process.

If they outlaw smoking and repeal DA/DT, "field stripping" sure is going to take on a whole new meaning.

46 days and counting without providing a damn nickle to SCHIP. What others do is, IMHO, their own business ...

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Even you non-smokers need to line up with us and fight this kind of nonsense or something YOU like to do will be next in the health-Nazi's gunsights!

quote:

Originally posted by stillkit:
I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Even you non-smokers need to line up with us and fight this kind of nonsense or something YOU like to do will be next in the health-Nazi's gunsights!

Like soda?

Oh, wait...

quote:

Originally posted by stillkit:
I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Even you non-smokers need to line up with us and fight this kind of nonsense or something YOU like to do will be next in the health-Nazi's gunsights!

Yea no doubt. We talk about smoking and its negative effects on the health care system but bet your azz obesity is worse and more prevelant. After tobacco they will come after your salt and sugar and red meat. Count on it. Ohh wait they are already taxing soda in New York..

quote:

Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:
46 days and counting without providing a damn nickle to SCHIP. What others do is, IMHO, their own business ...

Great news. Stay strong. Do you feel better...more energetic, or are you ready to rip the throat out of everyone you see???

How about Mr. Querty?? Is he joining you in your opposition to SCHIP funding???

Congrats!!!!

Quit smoking 9 years ago.
Quit chew about 7 years ago.
Feel much better but can't seem to lose the extra 20+ pounds I gained. (Maybe I could exercise more?)

I can see it now........ instead of passing around a rooter they be passing around a Marlboro BUT say the same things..

"....Oh, like wow man this is some good schit" coughing and hacking and wanting the potatochips passed over.

Yep it is supposed to be a heavy burden on the health care system[costing tax payers more].

Well the GOV has had a tobbaco tax for at least 7 years and it keeps rising all the time.

A pack of cigs are now 6 bucks! What are they doing with the 4 dollars a pack the GOV gets?

So if everybody stops smoking,the government will miss that cash cow and start taxing potato chips cookies candy and all the snack foods.

When everybody quits eating junk food whats next?

Entertianment I guess.

IMO this is a good move. Our military should be smoke and alcohol free. I have said it a thousand times before. You put on the uniform to kill not to smoke and drink and have a good time.
This is what happens when first you let them get tattoos, then you let women into combat, then you let them DADT, then you lower the drinking age, the list goes on and on. I salute our military leaders for making this decision. I'm sure Bill Gates will sign off on it too.

quote:

Originally posted by Duster6:
IMO this is a good move. Our military should be smoke and alcohol free. I have said it a thousand times before. You put on the uniform to kill not to smoke and drink and have a good time.
This is what happens when first you let them get tattoos, then you let women into combat, then you let them DADT, then you lower the drinking age, the list goes on and on. I salute our military leaders for making this decision. I'm sure Bill Gates will sign off on it too.

Ahhh hahaha...

Mass is already floating a soad and chip tax.

BTW..we just passed a NEW tax on alcohol. Instead of just rasing the tax..they placed a tax..ON the current tax. Makes no sense to me..but thats what they did.

quote:

Originally posted by Duster6:
IMO this is a good move. Our military should be smoke and alcohol free. I have said it a thousand times before. You put on the uniform to kill not to smoke and drink and have a good time.
This is what happens when first you let them get tattoos, then you let women into combat, then you let them DADT, then you lower the drinking age, the list goes on and on. I salute our military leaders for making this decision. I'm sure Bill Gates will sign off on it too.

Someday the enlisted force will be an all robot force,that should make everybody happy!

america, land of the....... what was that called a few years ago? it's was something that is slowly leaving the american people, what was it?.....what was it......oh well.

i think if your old enough to die for your country, you can make you own damn decision about whether you wanna smoke or drink.

quote:

Originally posted by blane:
america, land of the....... what was that called a few years ago? it's was something that is slowly leaving the american people, what was it?.....what was it......oh well.

i think if your old enough to die for your country, you can make you own damn decision about whether you wanna smoke or drink.

Liberals think they know better than you...whats good for you.

quote:

Originally posted by threerings:

quote:

Originally posted by blane:
america, land of the....... what was that called a few years ago? it's was something that is slowly leaving the american people, what was it?.....what was it......oh well.

i think if your old enough to die for your country, you can make you own damn decision about whether you wanna smoke or drink.

Liberals think they know better than you...whats good for you.

By 'Liberals' you mean 'Doctors', right?

I smoke unfiltered Camels, but I would never call it a right, nor would I be idiot enough to claim that smoking cigarettes has any positive value whatsoever.

I know it's tough to believe in any scientific argument against keeping the military healthier than the rest of the masses, what with all those studies out there espousing the positive aspects of using tobacco...I also understand it's tough when your belief system doesn't include climate change...

...or evolution...

...or gravity.

quote:

Originally posted by Yooper_tj:

By 'Liberals' you mean 'Doctors', right?

I smoke unfiltered Camels, but I would never call it a right, nor would I be idiot enough to claim that smoking cigarettes has any positive value whatsoever.

And there in lies the problem with the left. Some how they think rights are those that are bestowed upon us by the government. What a joke.

As for doctors. The day that laws enforcing behaviours are realized because doctors said so is the same day that you should quit beaching about laws enforcing behaviour because priests said so. Same sheet different day..

quote:

Originally posted by falconry:

quote:

Originally posted by Duster6:
IMO this is a good move. Our military should be smoke and alcohol free. I have said it a thousand times before. You put on the uniform to kill not to smoke and drink and have a good time.
This is what happens when first you let them get tattoos, then you let women into combat, then you let them DADT, then you lower the drinking age, the list goes on and on. I salute our military leaders for making this decision. I'm sure Bill Gates will sign off on it too.

Someday the enlisted force will be an all robot force,that should make everybody happy!

You mean like the Officer Corps is now?

quote:

Originally posted by Yooper_tj:

quote:

Originally posted by threerings:

quote:

Originally posted by blane:
america, land of the....... what was that called a few years ago? it's was something that is slowly leaving the american people, what was it?.....what was it......oh well.

i think if your old enough to die for your country, you can make you own damn decision about whether you wanna smoke or drink.

Liberals think they know better than you...whats good for you.

By 'Liberals' you mean 'Doctors', right?

I smoke unfiltered Camels, but I would never call it a right, nor would I be idiot enough to claim that smoking cigarettes has any positive value whatsoever.

I know it's tough to believe in any scientific argument against keeping the military healthier than the rest of the masses, what with all those studies out there espousing the positive aspects of using tobacco...I also understand it's tough when your belief system doesn't include climate change...

...or evolution...

...or gravity.

Doctors have also decided that recreational sex is the number one cause of venereal disease and other STDs, including AIDS.

Perhaps we should applaud a military ban on having sex?