Possible total tobacco ban in military

[justintempler]

“Furthermore, smoking rates among military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be 50 percent higher than rates among nondeployed military personnel.”

Yes because when our troops are on deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan miles from civilization, and bored out of their minds the last thing we want them to do is take something that might keep them alert?

Idiots.

[Jason]

I would say that I first started smoking heavily when I was in the military. Before that I was just an occasional smoker for the most part. It's a high stress job, and taking away a major stress reliever is not a good idea at all, even if it does end up being bad for you in the long run.

When I was in, they offered voluntary cessation programs; I think they should just leave it at that.

[hummer]

lxskllr. .

While Hitler may not have smoked or drank, he was a "speed" freak.

His pilots demonstrated an almost inhumane ability for endurance which was reflected in their missions (sorties) and their report kills (shot downs). The
concept of "Blitzkrieg" was based an executed on amphetamines.

While nicotine or alcohol may be unhealthy, meth is in an entirely different league. Hitler was completely evil, through and through.

[argument]

“Furthermore, smoking rates among military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be 50 percent higher than rates among nondeployed military personnel.”

Yes because when our troops are on deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan miles from civilization, and bored out of their minds the last thing we want them to do is take something that might keep them alert?

Idiots.

I understand that modafinil is the drug of choice for that particular function. I've tried it - it's very, very good. Keeps you awake with making you speedy. No comedown. Clean with low addiction potential.

[exexpat]

Military Tobacco Bans

The military has been going this direction for a long time.

When I was in the Navy, at first, you did not get a break if you either did not smoke or have coffee.

Shortly later they started banning areas to smoke then restricted times to smoke.

The Air Force has been trying to ban alcohol lately so it is no surprise they are coming after tobacco next.

I am currently in MSC and smoking is still allowed on ships due mostly to the Union. I currently have stopped smoking and totally on Snus so it does not matter to me as much.

The worst Navy Exchange that does not sell smokes to us Merchant Marine guys when we are far away from home is Pearl Harbor.

The Exchange there really sucks - or I should say the management of the Exchange. I wish we would get dropped off at a K Mart rather than have to put up with their bullsh*t. They have no concept or understanding that we are basically not in CONUS and have limited places to gather supplies.

The Airforce Base is much more friendly to us in the Merchant Marine and we are allowed to shop for anything we need to keep going.

I would not be surprised to see a tobacco free military. The leadership of the Military is totally substandard and have no idea what freedom means.

[tom502]

I thought they were defenders of the "free world". Geez, there was probably more freedom under Stalin. I'm glad I got out of the Military when I did(87), as it in a process of going bad then. But our ship did have a vending machine with cigs for 75 cents. We could smoke about anywhere.

[elmos]

Tobacco in the Service

When I went to the VA the other day, I saw on the TV that the VA had spent six million bucks on a study to determine if smoking and tobacco use should be allowed in the service, Heres the deal. They know what answer they want to begin with. They could have saved the bucks. The head of the VA ought to be fired for this stupidity. Amazing, you can have a gun, get shot at, or wounded, but you can't buy a beer or God forbid use that weed known as tobacco. Instead of taking the crap out of the american stuff like the swedes do, they just ban it. And we all know how well prohobition worked. I never thought I would have a big brother till now. My DI used to smoke a cigar while doing a five mile run. Most congress people cant even walk a block without dropping. A blind person could find the idiots in washington

[CGkempoka]

Military Ban on Tobacco

The smoking Nazis have already got so bad in the Coast Guard that if you smoke, you have to go out on the weather deck. If anybody else is there, we have to ask them if they object to our smoking. I'm seeing a BIG transition to smokeless tobacco, primarily the Skoal-type, but some snus-ers. I love the snus, because it tastes good, is not a filthy, stinking habit like smoking, and quashes the cravings. I no longer have to keep looking at my watch to see when I can sneak out for a smoke. I just keep snus in, and about every hour to hour and a half, I swap the pouch out. Clean, comfortable, and discreet.

[KarlvB]

Re: Military Ban on Tobacco

I'm seeing a BIG transition to smokeless tobacco, primarily the Skoal-type, but some snus-ers.

Well judging by the initial quote I placed from army.com it looks like it will affect even smokeless tobacco eventually.

Personally - even though I think it is stupid to curtail personal freedoms like that - I am not that opposed to a smoking ban per se as I, like a lot of ex-smokers here, can honestly say that the day I put down the cigarettes for good was one of the best days of my life.

Moreover, I would like to see more people move to a less harmful product like snus - even if they are forced to by a stupid law/rule.

However if the ban extends to snus then it will just be ridiculous.

[SnusHound]

You ask what we need to win this war. I will tell you, we need tobacco, more tobacco – even more than food.
-General John J. Pershing, United States Army

I recently sat next to a soldier on leave from Iraq while on a plane and he was enjoying a lip of dip right there. Smokeless tobacco is ridiculously popular and I for one don't think they will be able to go through with any ban in reality. They might put something on the books to look good but I just don't see it having any affect. It's too deeply rooted in the culture and morale is too highly dependent on it for any leader worth his salt to actually do anything to cut that vital morale down.

I know people who are woodland firefighters and there is enough ex-military doing that work for the culture to bleed in. As a result almost everyone dips.

The article linked talks about reducing usage via conincident reduction in the civilian pop, which essentially means that nothing will happen. The usage in the military is much higher than in the civilian pop and the culture and attitude is different. I don't see civilian usage having an effect on the other. Just another piece of useless feel-good legislation.

[sgreger1]

Lol, that'll be about as effective as saying you can't smoke in your barracks room, or within 50 feet of the barracks.

Yet everyone does it.

It can't be stopped, won't happen. It would be like banning alcohol from sailors, lololol never happening.

[sagedil]

OK guys, you can stop stressing a bit. The Pentagon just announces that smoking will at least not be banned in war zones.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31927697...th-addictions/

[SnusHound]

An article linked from what sagedil posted has someone pointing out an association between tobacco usage and mental health issues as a way to criticize tobacco usage. bwahahaha. Nicotine is a known RELIEF for those people that's why they use it, not a cause. Unbelievable!

In other news there is a strong association between people with headaches and Advil.