![]() ![]() The industry successfully lobbied Congress to prevent the military from raising the prices of tobacco products sold in military stores, 5 and to ensure that in-store tobacco promotions would not be prohibited. 18 However, subsequent attempts to set such policies achieved limited results, 19, 20 in part because of the tobacco industry's influence on Congress. 4 Most costs must be borne by the veteran: in 1998, Congress denied disability pensions to tobacco-sickened veterans who began to smoke during their service, initially labeling smoking in the military as “willful misconduct.” 16ĭepartment of Defense Directive 1010.10, issued in 1986, established a baseline “policy on smoking in the DoD occupied buildings and facilities.” 17 The policy emphasized a healthy military that discouraged smoking and designated authority to the services and to individual commanders to set specific policies. ![]() 4 Lifelong smokers have a 50% chance of dying prematurely. The Department of Veterans Affairs spent $5 billion in 2008 treating veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a diagnosis most often associated with smoking. ![]() In addition to compromised military readiness and Department of Defense expenses, a tobacco-friendly military culture takes a societal toll-economic and human-long after military personnel return to civilian life. 4 The US Department of Defense spends more than $1.6 billion annually on tobacco-related health care and absenteeism. 12– 15 In addition to short-term effects, such as impairment to vision and hearing, long-term consequences include lung and other cancers, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and problematic wound healing. 6, 7 Smoking damages health and readiness 8– 11 and increases medical and training costs. 4 A tobacco-friendly military culture persists, including the availability of cheap tobacco products, 5 liberal smoking breaks, 6 and easily accessible smoking areas. 2, 4 From 1998 to 2005, tobacco use in the military increased 7.7%, from 29.9% to 32.2%, reversing the decline of prior decades. At more than 30%, 1, 2 the prevalence of smoking in the military is 50% higher than is the civilian rate, with a 40% prevalence among those aged 18 to 25 years 3 and nearly 50% among those who have been in a war zone. ![]()
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