Let’s just say that the front page story of today’s USA Today made me spit my early morning coffee out.
Ban on tobacco urged in militaryBy Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAYWASHINGTON — Pentagon health experts are urging Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ban the use of tobacco by troops and end its sale on military property, a change that could dramatically alter a culture intertwined with smoking. Jack Smith, head of the Pentagon’s office of clinical and program policy, says he will recommend that Gates adopt proposals by a federal study that cites rising tobacco use and higher costs for the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs as reasons for the ban.The study by the Institute of Medicine, requested by the VA and Pentagon, calls for a phased-in ban over a period of years, perhaps up to 20. “We’ll certainly be taking that recommendation forward,” Smith says.
A tobacco ban would confront a military culture, the report says, in which “the image of the battle-weary soldier in fatigues and helmet, fighting for his country, has frequently included his lit cigarette.”Also, the report said, troops worn out by repeated deployments often rely on cigarettes as a “stress reliever.”
The study found that tobacco use in the military increased after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began.
Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the department supports a smoke-free military “and believes it is achievable.” She declined to elaborate on any possible ban.
You can read the article here. First, it will be a smoking ban in the military. Next, it will be a national smoking ban in public places. Finally, they’ll ban tobacco… socialism at it’s finest. This is why I raised holy hell about Obama’s pick of New York City Health Czar Thomas Frieden to head the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Department.
I would be willing to bet that none, or close to it, of those making this recommendation know what it is like to kill someone, or watch someone be killed in combat.
Strong leadership could make the military tobacco-free in five to 10 years, Kizer says. President Obama, he says, could set an example for the military by ending his own smoking habit once and for all. Last month, Obama said he is “95% cured” but “there are times when I mess up” and smoke.
I hope that they are prepared to use the money they will save in veterans health care caused by tobacco use will be put to good use in veteran drug treatment programs, since banning tobacco would likely increase illegal drug use.
Though there probably isn’t a study to prove this yet, I’d be willing to put a hundred bucks on there being a rise in illegal drug use within military ranks were smoking banned.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Be better to ban pornography in the military.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Soldiers need to be in good shape. We can’t have them hacking and wheezing as they’re running up a hill, jumping out of planes, and loading artillery.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
SM,
The hacking and wheezing doesn’t kick in til you’re 50. By then, they are colonels and it doesn’t matter.
If I was in a war and couldn’t smoke, I’d shoot somebody.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Liz,
Why is it better to ban pornography than smoking in your opinion?
July 10th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Would cut down on sex crimes committed on troops. Pornography has been shown to actually alter your brain, dude, much like drug abuse. It becomes an addiction. These guys and gals are supposed to be warriors, not addicts acting out on each other. Border Patrol, police forces, pornography is a problem in those areas too. Do you see an upside to providing porno to military or government employees?
July 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I’d rather someone close to me have a smoking problem than a porno problem, anyday. Though neither is desirable, of course.
July 10th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
#6, that would explain why we have a respectful relationship, but you do not with Alex…he does not smoke.
July 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Darn it!
I do have a deep personal problem with porn addicts. True. Smoking I can equate to my problem with chocolate somewhat. Pornography turns people into criminals and predators, often against their own family. They prey on children, they prey on the weak in a futile attempt to satisfy their own perversion which grows out of control each time they feed it with unnatural and violent images.
At their worst smokers rob convenience stores for the smokes. Chocoholics, maybe we would contemplate suicide via caulking gun fully loaded with the finest dark fudge available. That’s rare, and only in our darkest moments.
What’s your analysis?
July 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
So, according to you and research I assume you will link here, you are saying our troops are committing sex crimes because of pornography?
July 10th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Wade,
Ever heard of Abu Ghraib?
July 10th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
yeah. Eat crap, get fat. Consume porno, get weird. There’s your research.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
MWS,
Yes I have. I didn’t realize the abuses there were because our soldiers looked at pornographic material.
Liz,
You assume to much. Don’t make an ASS out of U and ME. Might be to late for you but I don’t want to go down with the ship. Bring me research from educated people and I will give it a gander.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Wade,
You’re right. They probably got those ideas from reading Chaucer.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Ehh, there should be one standard. Have cigs, alcohol and marijiana legal, or none of them.
July 10th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Watch Mikulski squirm when Hatch asked her a question about planned parenthood funding.
http://www.frc.org/index.cfm?f=WU09G07&t=e&t=e
July 10th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
“Bring me research from educated people and I will give it a gander.”
Now there’s a statement you don’t see here often enough.
July 11th, 2009 at 9:10 am
If the military is less effective and is paying more money for tobacco use than it only seems logical to ban it’s use. The only reason that the military personal so heavily smoke is because in the turn of the century they let tobacco companies d promotions of sending free cigarettes to the troops in foreign places, with the tobacco companies knowing full well it would hook them and better profit their businesses. Time for the government to right their wrong.