The Pentagon is putting out word, though, that soldiers would not be expected to go cold turkey in actual war zones. [Gregg Zoroya, “Ban on tobacco urged in military”, USA Today, Jul. 9; “U.S. will not ban war zone smoking”, AP/USA Today, Jul. 15]
Leadership is by example. Would this ban apply to the Commander in Chief — or is it only another example of the rules only apply to those who actually do the work and take the risks?
Actually, they already have in some cases taken the lead out of the bullets. Tungsten is the replacement.
So….one has to ask, what this will do to recruiting? How many would decline to volunteer for the military knowing they can’t smoke or chew or snuss? How many smokers currently in the military will decline to re-enlist or decide to leave when their obligation as an Officer is complete? How many additional suicides or cases of shell shock / battle fatigue (side note: PTSD is a BS name, call it was it is) will there be of soldiers who don’t have the well documented stress relieving / stress coping effects of niccotine?
The nannies war on tobacco will, yes will, start to cost us lives in real war.
Considering that the Federal government is responsible for creating more smokers than any other entity, I find it funny that they don’t have to accept any responsibility for it. When I was in the Navy, I was entitled to purchase up to two cartons of cigarettes per week, while on board ship. Then consider that cigarettes were in the rations issued to military personel in every war since the Civil War. Evil tobacco companies my a$$.
9 Comments
I guess the next thing they will do is take the lead out of the bullets!
Leadership is by example. Would this ban apply to the Commander in Chief — or is it only another example of the rules only apply to those who actually do the work and take the risks?
Actually, they already have in some cases taken the lead out of the bullets. Tungsten is the replacement.
So….one has to ask, what this will do to recruiting? How many would decline to volunteer for the military knowing they can’t smoke or chew or snuss? How many smokers currently in the military will decline to re-enlist or decide to leave when their obligation as an Officer is complete? How many additional suicides or cases of shell shock / battle fatigue (side note: PTSD is a BS name, call it was it is) will there be of soldiers who don’t have the well documented stress relieving / stress coping effects of niccotine?
The nannies war on tobacco will, yes will, start to cost us lives in real war.
This will be a huge blow to recruiting. Both the military and smokers have overwhelmingly poor constituencies.
Well, they can always stop-loss the current soldiers so they’re SOL.
Considering that the Federal government is responsible for creating more smokers than any other entity, I find it funny that they don’t have to accept any responsibility for it. When I was in the Navy, I was entitled to purchase up to two cartons of cigarettes per week, while on board ship. Then consider that cigarettes were in the rations issued to military personel in every war since the Civil War. Evil tobacco companies my a$$.
There are Geneva conventions;
“cigarettes
Prisoners of war must be allowed to use tobacco. (Convention III, Art. 26)
Tobacco must be available to prisoners of war at canteens. (Convention III, Art. 28)
Similarly, tobacco must be available to internees. (Convention IV, Art. 87)”
@William
Geneva Convention, eh?
So, I really need a cigarette. Let’s surrender!
[…] Tobacco prohibition in the military? […]