Pentagon considers smoking ban for military

[Syt]

CNN: Study recommends total ban on smoking for soldiers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- You've seen the iconic picture of a soldier with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, but that could soon be a thing of the past.

A new study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs recommends a complete ban on tobacco, which would end tobacco sales on military bases and prohibit smoking by anyone in uniform, not even combat troops in the thick of battle.

According to the study, tobacco use impairs military readiness in the short term. Over the long term, it can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. The study also says smokeless tobacco use can lead to oral and pancreatic cancer.

The Defense Department's top health officials are studying the report's suggestions and will make recommendations to the Pentagon's policy team and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The study recommends phasing out tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars over a five- to 10-year period.

However, the suggested ban does not sit well with many in uniform, including retired Gen. Russel Honore, best known for coordinating military relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina-affected areas with an ever-present stogie. He said soldiers at war need to puff.

"When you're tired and you've been going days on end with minimum sleep, and you are not getting the proper meals on time, that hit of tobacco can make a difference," said Honore, who was in charge of the Army's training programs before he retired.

Other soldiers questioned whether this was a good time to stamp out smoking, given the Army's concern with a high suicide rate.

"For some, unfortunately, they feel that smoking is their stress relief. Well if you take it away, what is the replacement?" said Sgt. 1st Class Gary Johnson.

The Pentagon supports the goal of a tobacco-free military, said spokeswoman Cynthia Smith.

"However, achieving that goal will depend on coincident reductions of tobacco use in the civilian population," she said.

Dr. Ken Kizer, the author of the study, found that civilians don't smoke as much as soldiers. One in three active duty soldiers smoke, he said, adding that among the general population, that number is less than one in five.

The Pentagon banned smoking in buildings on bases years ago. It has counselors on call to help service members quit. But while local governments have heavily taxed tobacco, the commissaries often sell it at deeply discounted prices.

"The military sends very mixed signals," Kizer said. "This is what's confusing to people."

The study found that profits from those tobacco sales -- $80 million to $90 million -- often pay for recreation and family programs on base.

Yeah, this would sure go well. 

[Sophie Scholl]

...and now we know what will bring about a military coup in the United States.

[Eddie Teach]

...and now we know what will bring about a military coup in the United States.

Not a chance, Obama's a smoker.

[Caliga]

What kind of half baked bullshit is this?

[Monoriu]

I'd rather have happy soldiers willing to work and fight, even if it means they are more likely to die from lung cancer 40 years from now, than unhappy soldiers an inch away from mutiny.

I can also hear the screams of army recruiters if they need to tell smokers that they must quit before they can sign up. 

[DisturbedPervert]

For some, unfortunately, they feel that smoking is their stress relief.

That's because it is a stress relief.

[Tonitrus]

I'd rather have happy soldiers willing to work and fight, even if it means they are more likely to die from lung cancer 40 years from now, than unhappy soldiers an inch away from mutiny.

I can also hear the screams of army recruiters if they need to tell smokers that they must quit before they can sign up.

Smoking is usually banned in basic training/boot camp (for the USAF at least, what little I can find says the same for the Army, dunno if really true, though).  You'd think it would be a good crash course to giving up the habit, but many take it right back up. 

[Alatriste]

I'd rather have happy soldiers willing to work and fight, even if it means they are more likely to die from lung cancer 40 years from now, than unhappy soldiers an inch away from mutiny.

I can also hear the screams of army recruiters if they need to tell smokers that they must quit before they can sign up.

You obviously have forgotten the health costs during those 40 years...

[grumbler]

Smoking has been effectively banned on USN ships for years, so I don't think this would bring much change to the navy (I know the navy isn't technically part of the "military" but that isn't a distinction anyone makes any more).

[MadBurgerMaker]

Smoking has been effectively banned on USN ships for years, so I don't think this would bring much change to the navy (I know the navy isn't technically part of the "military" but that isn't a distinction anyone makes any more).

  Is this a new development?  I smoked more on the ship than I ever did at any point in my life.  That shit got to ridiculous levels (at least for my lungs).  It was more of a pain to go smoke when I got back to San Diego and didn't have something like 6 readily accessible smoke pits in the immediate area.

Edit:  We, of course, weren't allowed to smoke during boot camp, and the rule extended to the first three weeks of NACCS as well, although I managed not to really start again until I left there and hit A School.

[Alcibiades]

Yeah no smoking in basic training.

Heck I'd prefer they banned it, not only is it expensive, but it drives me crazy personally.   

[Malthus]

They should ban it right before a major conflict, and then send the smokers into the front lines. They'd be so fucking pissed, they'd take the enemy apart. 

[grumbler]

  Is this a new development?  I smoked more on the ship than I ever did at any point in my life.  That shit got to ridiculous levels (at least for my lungs).  It was more of a pain to go smoke when I got back to San Diego and didn't have something like 6 readily accessible smoke pits in the immediate area.

Since at least the late 1990s, smoking has been restricted (at least on the ships I was on with the CARFRU staff, and that was quite a few) to a few almost inaccessable spaces.  I must admit that i wasn't thinking about the fact that on non-avaiation ships you could probably just smoke topside.

Still, nobody I met and talked to was still smoking, and several commented on how different it was now that "nobody smoked."

Like you, I smoked like chimney onboard ship back in the day.  $3 a carton sea-stores ciggies FTW!

[grumbler]

They should ban it right before a major conflict, and then send the smokers into the front lines. They'd be so fucking pissed, they'd take the enemy apart. 

Work even better if you require it of combat troops in peacetime & behind the lines. 

[MadBurgerMaker]

Since at least the late 1990s, smoking has been restricted (at least on the ships I was on with the CARFRU staff, and that was quite a few) to a few almost inaccessable spaces.  I must admit that i wasn't thinking about the fact that on non-avaiation ships you could probably just smoke topside.

Yeah, the only time we were kept from smoking was when the red flag was up (fuel being transferred).  Otherwise...well...there were pits on both bridge wings, the signal bridge, two down "inside," where they could close the doors at night for light discipline, and a couple more outside the helo hangar, all with those covered red ash bucket things that were almost always full and occasionally on fire from all the burning butts dropped in there.  I'm somewhat surprised we all just didn't die from cancer while on the boat. 

Still, nobody I met and talked to was still smoking, and several commented on how different it was now that "nobody smoked."

I know when I was going through the schools (mid 01 through mid-ish 02), there was a lot of emphasis on SMOKING CESSATION!! IT'S OKAY NOT TO SMOKE!! (this is what was printed on the posters they had all over the school, along with a bunch of stupid charts and shit with a tiny font you couldn't see because it was hanging from the ceiling of a structure that used to be an enormous hangar...typical Navy stuff).  Classes, free patches and shit from medical, things like that.  Once I got to my first "fleet" assignment, all that stuff pretty much stopped, even though it was a shore based SAR unit where almost no one smoked.  They just didn't seem to care either way, but it wasn't until I got to the "blackshoe" navy where it seemed like everyone was really smoking a bunch.

Like you, I smoked like chimney onboard ship back in the day.  $3 a carton sea-stores ciggies FTW!

Christ.  I'm glad our ships store sucked and didn't really have smokes.  The $15 NEX cartons were getting burned fast as it was, but there was at least a little restraint because they weren't easily replaced while underway.