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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Dos Equis on July 11, 2009, 10:07:35 AM
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:o
Ban on tobacco urged in military
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — 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.
One in three servicemembers use tobacco, the report says, compared with one in five adult Americans. The heaviest smokers are soldiers and Marines, who have done most of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the study says. 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, says the report, which used older data. The Department of Veterans Affairs spends up to $6 billion in treatments for tobacco-related illnesses, says the study, which was released late last month.
Along with a phased-in ban, the report recommends 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. "Any tobacco use while in uniform should be prohibited," the study says.
The military complicates attempts to curb tobacco use by subsidizing tobacco products for troops who buy them at base exchanges and commissaries, says Kenneth Kizer, a committee member and architect of California's anti-tobacco program.
Seventy percent of profits from tobacco sales — $88 million in 2005 — pays for recreation and family support programs, the study stays.
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.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-07-09-smoking_N.htm
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Yeah saw that when it hit.....there is no way. Funny how this crap always ends up happening under a Dem. While I'm shocked how many people still smoke in the Army, tons of people dip..alll ranks all day. What u'll have is more people going postal. No porn....no smokes.....frowned upon drinking.....
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the other side of the coin...
the taxpayer pays healthcare costs for military folks.
all they're doing here is asking that good very destructive to health not be sold on military bases, right? Also, telling employees what drugs they cannot use when on the job?
Hey, if you don't like company policy, work somewhere else.
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Yeah...... ::)
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Don't see how they would enforce this.
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Oh they'll try.....At some point all the morons who are Clinton/Cold War hold-overs will retire and all the Iraq/Afghanistan door kickers will be running things. This is typical DOD bullshit.
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what the problem?
the military has lot's of restrictions of things which are perfectly legal if you're civilian
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they can enforce it by banning smoking in any military property and not selling it. sure, you can buy a pack when you leave base, but a lot of it would stop.
honestly, taxpayer $ pays for healthcare of military personnell...
would we be okay with mailmen and teachers and other govt folks smoking on the job if we had to pay their healthcare costs? because they chose a nasty habit?
personally, i could care less if military folks smoke crack on the job, as long as they do their job fine. But if their healthcare costs are paid with US tax dollars, and we're pretty broke at the moment, it sounds like an area that could take a hit.
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This argument could be turned right around on all u civilians. I pay taxes which benefit all of u, so I think that all u people should have to get up at 5:30 and run. I think u should have to do that between 3-5 days per week because my tax dollars fund ur healthcare or ur schools etc. Now if u have private healthcare, u get a pass until Barrycare comes into being, then ur ass better be up. The average soldier is much healthier then the average civilian at the same age level. This isn't about that, its about letting an adult make a choice.
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This argument could be turned right around on all u civilians. I pay taxes which benefit all of u, so I think that all u people should have to get up at 5:30 and run. I think u should have to do that between 3-5 days per week because my tax dollars fund ur healthcare or ur schools etc. Now if u have private healthcare, u get a pass until Barrycare comes into being, then ur ass better be up. The average soldier is much healthier then the average civilian at the same age level. This isn't about that, its about letting an adult make a choice.
they just raise cigs $1 per pack, I believe, to offset healthcare costs, which are only subsidized 1/6 (if you consider 1/6 of people don't have insurance and will crawl into an ER one day coughing up blood from advanced lung cancer from smoking).
military = 6/6 or 100% of their health care is subsidized by tax dollars.
agreed it's BS... but I can see some accountant somewhere showing Obama he'll save $X billion by making this move.
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240 you're such a douche bag.
So you care about the money it will cost you to treat the effects of cigarettes on soldiers lives....yet you seem to forget they are soldiers....they are under fire daily...why don't you put them all behind a desk...that way you wouldn't need to pay anyone for wounds and handicaps caused by his service ::)
Fuck, let's dismantle the military....ohh wait....while were at it since Mr Fuckbama wants to give free health care to anyone and you said we should decide what the people that gets that free health care can do, than by that logic we should ban cigarettes on civilians too...hey...
So since we pay people for their health care and give them money to support themself than I can tell them where to live? What to do?
Wow this is awesome! Thanks 240 for showing us your amazing mathematical , economical and political skills....you're so smart!
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This is stupid. Really really stupid.
You can risk your life for your country but you can't smoke?
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This argument could be turned right around on all u civilians. I pay taxes which benefit all of u, so I think that all u people should have to get up at 5:30 and run. I think u should have to do that between 3-5 days per week because my tax dollars fund ur healthcare or ur schools etc. Now if u have private healthcare, u get a pass until Barrycare comes into being, then ur ass better be up. The average soldier is much healthier then the average civilian at the same age level. This isn't about that, its about letting an adult make a choice.
I'm rarely up any later than 5:30 any day of the week and I do cardio at least 5 days a week so I would not really care
If the govt were paying my health ins. then it would be different
can you imagine our what it would be like if fat fucks in this country were forced to exercise or pay more $$$ in health insurance?
that would be a great system
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How wonderful more government regulation, if the soldier is putting his life on the line day in and day out, and he wants to smoke let em.
Does anyone here really think the government want the tobacco industry to go belly up? Hell no they don't, they would loose to many tax dollars.
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I'm rarely up any later than 5:30 any day of the week and I do cardio at least 5 days a week so I would not really care
If the govt were paying my health ins. then it would be different
can you imagine our what it would be like if fat fucks in this country were forced to exercise or pay more $$$ in health insurance?
that would be a great system
Do you get shot at a lot?
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Does anyone here really think the government want the tobacco industry to go belly up? Hell no they don't, they would loose to many tax dollars.
coach, please explain to us how this would destroy the tobacco industry
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coach, please explain to us how this would destroy the tobacco industry
that's coach? why the name change?
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If the gov't can say "no smoking" to the military using the excuse that the health care is provided by the gov't then what's to stop an outright ban in the US once Obamacare gets shoved down our throats and all other insurance options are forced out of the market?
It's more horseshit in the name of "what's best for you."
My view: soldiers, sailors, and airmen can smoke all you want as long as you pass the PRTs.
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Do you get shot at a lot?
nope
ok - they can smoke if they're being shot at
see, I'm open to compromises
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If the gov't can say "no smoking" to the military using the excuse that the health care is provided by the gov't then what's to stop an outright ban in the US once Obamacare gets shoved down our throats and all other insurance options are forced out of the market?
It's more horseshit in the name of "what's best for you."
My view: soldiers, sailors, and airmen can smoke all you want as long as you pass the PRTs.
Exactly my point!
Since when government health care = I rule your life ?
If it worked like this that all those fuckers taking child support etc wouldn't buy crack and alcohol with it!
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Exactly my point!
Since when government health care = I rule your life ?
If it worked like this that all those fuckers taking child support etc wouldn't buy crack and alcohol with it!
don't smokers pay higher premiums?
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that's coach? why the name change?
ah yes.....really the point huh. We should get a little slack for that. I imagine none of u guys have had to hump, burn shit..u have never lived until u've burned or been around burnt shit...taken a crap around 20 other guys in an open bay shitter..eaten MRS so much that it turns ur shit to diamonds and rips u pieces. I guess it all builds character.
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ah yes.....really the point huh. We should get a little slack for that. I imagine none of u guys have had to hump, burn shit..u have never lived until u've burned or been around burnt shit...taken a crap around 20 other guys in an open bay shitter..eaten MRS so much that it turns ur shit to diamonds and rips u pieces. I guess it all builds character.
You shouldn't be a recruiter. 8)
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240 you're such a douche bag.
So you care about the money it will cost you to treat the effects of cigarettes on soldiers lives....yet you seem to forget they are soldiers....they are under fire daily...why don't you put them all behind a desk...that way you wouldn't need to pay anyone for wounds and handicaps caused by his service ::)
My point is that any employer - even the US military - can make rules on what its employees can or cannot do. If employees do not like it, they can quit.
Some economist probably showed Obama that it'll save tens of billions of dollars in healthcare costs, and now they're floating the idea to see public response/feedback.
It's about dollars to congress and the white house, it's not about anyone's right to enjoy tobacco.
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My point is that any employer - even the US military - can make rules on what its employees can or cannot do. If employees do not like it, they can quit.
Some economist probably showed Obama that it'll save tens of billions of dollars in healthcare costs, and now they're floating the idea to see public response/feedback.
It's about dollars to congress and the white house, it's not about anyone's right to enjoy tobacco.
1.It's about civil right not about Dollars, well at least it should be about them.
2.Your Obama is the biggest hypocrate, you still didn't reply to the control we should have on people that take social security....it fits perfectly with your theory.
3.An employer have only certain control over his employees, if we're at it why can't I tell all my female workers to give me a BJ before they leave everyday? I mean...if they don't like it than they can just quit right? So can I call your wife employer and tell him to do that? And tell him that it was your idea?
Should I really go on? Stop defending fuckbama on everything and start thinking for yourself!
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My point is that any employer - even the US military - can make rules on what its employees can or cannot do. If employees do not like it, they can quit.
Some economist probably showed Obama that it'll save tens of billions of dollars in healthcare costs, and now they're floating the idea to see public response/feedback.
It's about dollars to congress and the white house, it's not about anyone's right to enjoy tobacco.
Really? Man, I am outta here! Hello, USA!!
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coach, please explain to us how this would destroy the tobacco industry
I think it has been explianed in the resposes, if you can ban it in the Military, then if the government implements a health care plan they can ban for anyone who is covered under that plan. So lets say 90% of Americans are covered, good by tobacco inductry.
Maybe you don't have a problem with the federal government telling you what you can and can't do.Lets see what do we have so far, the goverment is going to decide what kind of car you can drive, they own the majority of GM, and are mandating the type of cars and the milage they get. Cap and Trade if this was to pass they are going to be able to tell you what type of house you can live in. Health Care reform, if this was to pass then they would have the ability to tell you what you can eat, what you can drink, if you can smoke......
Why do you guys always seem to think I am some gimmick?
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You shouldn't be a recruiter. 8)
We don't push the burning ur own shit thing hahaha.
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the other side of the coin...
the taxpayer pays healthcare costs for military folks.
all they're doing here is asking that good very destructive to health not be sold on military bases, right? Also, telling employees what drugs they cannot use when on the job?
Hey, if you don't like company policy, work somewhere else.
Fine, let Obama quit smoking first since we pay his salary and will have to pay for his health care for the rest of his life.
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Fine, let Obama quit smoking first since we pay his salary and will have to pay for his health care for the rest of his life.
lol. I like it. :)
(http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/obama_smoking%2520(1).jpg)
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Fine, let Obama quit smoking first since we pay his salary and will have to pay for his health care for the rest of his life.
great point.
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Let's start making all government dependents quit smoking. Welfare, politicians, etc.
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Let's start making all government dependents quit smoking. Welfare, politicians, etc.
Baltimore will riot. Every black guy would be runnin around "YO! LEMME GET A 'PORT!!!"
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lol. I like it. :)
(http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/obama_smoking%2520(1).jpg)
this pic is shopped right?