-
Login
-
Digital Edition
-
Print Edition
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« News Home
Smoke-free military proposal drawing strong reaction
TweetFORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq (AP) — Gen. Douglas MacArthur had his signature corncob pipe. Soldiers got cigarettes in their C-rations during World War II. Even today, America’s war on tobacco seems to have largely bypassed the military.
Now a proposal to make the forces smoke-free is drawing strong reactions from troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, even though the Pentagon itself says any ban is a long way off.
The troops’ fears — and, in some cases, hopes — were triggered by a study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department that recommends moving toward a tobacco-free military, perhaps in about 20 years.
“Your nerves get all rattled and you need something to calm you down,” said Staff Sgt. Jerry Benson of San Bernadino, Calif., with the 5th Stryker Brigade in southern Afghanistan.
Benson, a tall, thin redhead with a buzz cut, said his first attempt to quit smoking was foiled by stress from a roadside bombing in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates seems to agree.
For the full story, read Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.
Comments
.We send our Military forces all around the world to fight for freedom of all people. Then our government lets the people that don't smoke dictate to those who do smoke that people that own businesses that want smokers can't let people smoke in the business that they worked to build. It just doesn't sound right to me. It's OK to pass a law to prevent smoking in a building just to please the non smoking public that may never go to that building. Seems one sided to me, no matter if its in the Military or in the public. I believe it’s a violation of my rights as well as the owner of a business to not be able to smoke in a business that didn't have a problem with smoking. Every state that has passed a smoking ban should have it repealed. If you don't want to be around smoke then don't patronize businesses that have smoking. After all, I hope this is still America.
I sat in iraq in 91 using the hundreds burning oil wells for "cover" while taking experimental anti nerve agent drugs while being exposed to depleted uranium and being told to be in a building or armored vehicle while they detonate iraqi explosives. Now they are worried about my health.
When smoking involves people that don't smoke then yes they need to do something about it. If I choose to be around smoke thats my choice but if I go someplace and don't want smoke thats my choice also. You want to smoke go ahead and kill yourself but do not take me with you.
Again if a person doesn't want to be around smoke then no one is forcing anyone to go anywhere. The same choice you have to not patronize a business that has smoking should be available to the owner of a business to decide for themselves and not by a law to infringe on their right to choose for themselves. When enough people don't want the smoke then that business will close, if it stays in business then what wrong with that? I'm sure that enough people would choose to have totally non-smoking and smoking businesses of all kinds that you can choose where to spend your money. This is America and we should be FREE to make our own choices. I've know several smokers that have passed away with nothing to do with smoking. You should be able to live your life the way you want. Several people die because of motorcycles, that doesn't keep me from riding. More people die from automobiles than smoking and we still drive...............Also let's not forget, this story is about Soldiers that are in danger of being killed to keep YOUR COUNTRY FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
maybe there is a better option than a cigarette for rattled nerves
Hope your an idiot. Go over there and tell them they cant smoke . Your an antismoking nazi a person who in my opinion is the lowest lifeform on the face of the earth and should be shipped off to california with all the other idiots. Its ok for them to die over there. like it or not they are there on the orders of OUR government but they should not smoke because it may offend you.
Actually I have over 20 years service in the military and two tours over there And have sat in wy to many memorial services for people I know who got killed over there.The article headline is about smoke free military and your comment that the Soldiers ahould "Maybe if you do not like the American way you should find some place else"
is stupid beyond all reason
The tax exempt American Cancer Society tricked the voters of Ohio into voting for a ban with exemptions, only to have them removed AFTER they were voter approved. If they got away with it once, you know they will do it again. Thank you American Cancer Society, we never knew all you do. The private vets clubs of Ohio who thought they were exempt according to the ballot learned what they do. I'm sure they are remembering them with with their donations and estate plans.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/...
Smoking is a health issue.
So is being fat, so is driving a car, so is alchohol, so is eating habits, so is living habits, so is the nasty perfume some women put on 1 bottle at a time, we going to have the government dictate what we can do on this also? Its a health issue when a mother has 6 kids and can't afford to feed them can we have her sterilized? Being overweight is a serious health issue do we give them rations for food and put them in a fat people prison? Alot of people die in car crashes every day do we outlaw cars? Beer and whiskey contribute to both health issues and many other things is this outlawed also ? Lack of certain vitamins can result in premature of birth defects do we make all women of child bearing age take vitamins to prevent this ?
This may sound off the wall but if you could travel back 30 years and tell GM the government was going to own most of the company they would say you were crazy. The governent wants to become a nanny state and tell us what we can and can't do.
Eight year-olds dude.
My rug was also stolen.
the dude abides
The tax exempt American Cancer Society tricked the voters of Ohio into voting for a ban with exemptions, only to have them removed AFTER they were voter approved. If they got away with it once, you know they will do it again. Thank you American Cancer Society, we never knew all you do. The private vets clubs of Ohio who thought they were exempt according to the ballot learned what they do. I'm sure they are remembering them with with their donations and estate plans.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/...
Finally, the main source of the bans, Pfizer got caught.