A Tobacco Free U.S. Military?
Looks like smoking soldiers might just be a thing of the past if Pentagon health experts have anything to do with it. They are recommending that Defense Secretary Robert Gates adopt a phased-in smoking ban in the military over a period of years.
This proposal is based on the results of recent federal study done by the Institute of Medicine that shows increased tobacco use among soldiers.
The study found that…
- one in three servicemembers use tobacco.
- tobacco use in the military has increased since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan started.
- troops dealing with repeated deployments are often relying on cigarettes as a form of ‘stress release’.
- the heaviest smokers are the soldiers and Marines who have done most of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- about 37% of soldiers use tobacco and 36% of Marines.
- combat veterans are 50% more likely to use tobacco than troops who haven’t seen combat.
- tobacco use costs the Pentagon $846 million a year in medical care and lost productivity.
- the Department of Veterans Affairs spends up to $6 billion in treatments for tobacco-related illnesses.
Given that military personnel are provided with reduced cost tobacco products at base exchanges and commissaries it‘s not all that surprising that tobacco usage is higher amongst military than civilians. Plus the military installations gain from these tobacco sales, with 70 percent of profits from tobacco sales — $88 million in 2005 — paying for recreation and family support programs.
Recommendations from the report include
- requiring new officers and enlisted personnel to be tobacco-free.
- eliminating tobacco use on military installations, ships and aircraft.
- expanding treatment programs and eliminating the sale of tobacco on military property.
- tobacco use while in uniform to be prohibited
According to Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith, the department supports a smoke-free military and does believe it is achievable.
But for those of us who grew up on images, both on the big screen and in the news, of “the battle-weary soldier in fatigues and helmet, fighting for his country, has frequently included his lit cigarette”, it’s hard to imagine it will happen.
A good first step, however, might be having the Commander-in-Chief, who claims to be ‘95% cured’ become 100 percent smoke free.
I got an idea… why don’t you stand your post for 24hrs plus. The nicotine they use, while I agree is a horrible habit, keeps them alert.
Besides, are you going to tell someone who is securing your safety and protecting your freedom they can’t do it?
What’s more unhealthy? Smoking? Or fighting for your freedom?
Hmm.
Don’t ban it. Why cause soldiers, trying to do an impossible job, more stress. If/when the FDA outlaws it, like they should, then deal with it.
From a HEALTH STANDPOINT – Indeed smoking is harmful to our health and could be addressed in the right time; however our government, military & VA can not address the major HEALTH issues that already exist, lack of adequate VA abilities to address physical injuries & adequate rehabilitation. Our MENTAL HEALTH assistance has proven to be unsuccessful. Suicides up, family breakdowns up…..Why would soldiers smoke? Why would those dealing with these issues overseas smoke? Why would the statistics on smoking and alcohol usages be greater for those in combat or returning from combat? Please use some common sense in showing support for those that fight for OUR RIGHTS.
Hello Liz,
Among other things, this study concludes that veterans had smoked more while they were in stressful situations (for example, combat operations), and that the heaviest tobacco use was among those who have had the most combat experience. Say what? If the members of the Institute of Medicine are surprised by their own conclusions cited above, I can only wonder if they are alien life forms – perhaps silicon-based – from a gaseous and especially barren region of interstellar space.
But if there actually are human members of this panel of experts/advocates, I propose that in order to broaden their education and life experiences, they might be reassigned to special forces units now operating in Afghanistan/Pakistan. There, they would observe and participate in combat operations along with SEALS and Delta Force people. After eighteen months of this “educational experience”, the surviving panel members could be debriefed in order to determine whether their attitudes toward banning smoking in the military have changed, and whether most of them have taken up smoking cigarettes.
At that point they should be required to testify before a congressional committee investigating irresponsible, arrogant and ideology-driven activity in taxpayer-supported government institutions.
Just in case some semiliterate member of the Institute of Medicine happens to read what I’ve said above, it’s likely that he/she will fail to comprehend it. So for clarity, please allow me paraphrase it in the most simple language I can muster up: By a significant margin, this is the MOST STUPID proposal that has emerged from a publicly-funded Washington-based agency that I’ve seen in a VERY long time!
Cheers,
–Bill