Hot Topic (11/15) Should the military ban smoking by service members?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

Proposed smoking ban angers some in military

Gates considering report urging total prohibition for active-duty personnel

A Pentagon-commissioned report urges the Defense Department to ban smoking in the military, even by combat troops in battle zones, a proposal that quickly ignited a controversy among service members.

The study, which was completed late last month by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, recommends closing “the pipeline of new tobacco users entering the military” by prohibiting tobacco use in the service academies and officer-training programs like ROTC and eventually instituting a total ban on all use of tobacco by active-duty personnel.

The Defense Department said military health officials were studying the report and planned to make their recommendations to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The proposal, if accepted by Gates, could take more than a decade to implement, said the report, which the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs requested in 2007.

However long it takes, it will be too soon for some in uniform — “especially guys that are in combat,” said Bobby McCarter, a retired veteran who served 20 years in the Navy.

“They need that cigarette break for stress relief,” McCarter said at a bar popular with the military in Norfolk, Va., home to a large naval base. “I’m totally against that, and I think the Pentagon should leave it alone.”  read more here

What are your thoughts?

[cmb121906]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Horrible idea. They do so much for this country & deserve to smoke if they want to.

[ta2dirishlass]

No. If you're old enough to go into the military, that means you are of age to legally choose to smoke. It may not be healthy but it's your right to poison yourself as you see fit. Plus I imagine a cigarette can take the edge off of that whole "People are shooting at me" thing.

[Mergath]

I'm not a big fan of smoking, but I think that if it's legal for everyone else, it should be legal for service members.  Why single them out?  They're the one group of people who probably really do need it for stress relief.

[tericared]

They need to worry about other things like oh I dont know...better equipment to keep them safe in a war zone,,,,do something for them when they get back so they dont jump off the deep end...etc etc etc 

[tattooed_mommy1]

thats just ridiculous. let them keep their smokes!

[dsptchmommy]

 Nope, I don't smoke and was not thrilled to find out that DH started again when he got to Iraq. BUT...he is in a war zone and if a cigarette helps his stress then so be it. He's a grown man and can make that choice for himself. No it shouldn't be banned....although it is banned IN my house. LOL When he gets back if he doesn't want to kick the habit he has to freeze outside. LOL

[Aldea]

I don't smoke, it's bad for you.  But, if they feel they need a smoke, then by all means do so !  With all the stress these soldiers have I would need a lot of smokes !  and that ain't all !

[Army_Wife41]

I agree. Although....it would make DH quit...which I am not entirely against lol. But still...it would be very wrong to impose such a ridiculous thing.

Quoting cmb121906:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Horrible idea. They do so much for this country & deserve to smoke if they want to.

[tashntim]

Let them have their cigs. They have more to worry about. If you can sign up to die for our country, then you can get your nicotine fix!

[LavenderMom23]

Ok, I can totally see how banning smokes could save a life. Cardio is much easier when your lungs aren't black. And if you are in combat especially you need don't need to be out of breath from smoking. 

But I still would vote against a ban. Soldiers don't need extra restrictions when they are out fighting for us. If anything they should have more privileges.