A Call to End the Military's Addiction to Tobacco

"Banning tobacco would be a bold step for the military, because smoking has long been a part of military culture. But the time has come for the military to tackle the terrible scourge of tobacco use among its young population, who are becoming addicted to this deadly substance for the first time while serving our country."
— Charles D. Connor, Captain U.S. Navy (Ret.) and American Lung Association President and CEO.

In June 2009, the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report recommending that the military phase out all tobacco use among its ranks. The IOM found that tobacco use interferes with military readiness and costs both the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs massive sums each year.

A recent study by the Veterans Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, found that 50 percent of U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan come home addicted to tobacco.12 According to the 2009 IOM report, the Department of Defense spends more than $1.6 billion each year on tobacco-related medical care, increased hospitalizations and lost days of work.13 In 2009, the VA spent more than $5 billion to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) alone; over 80 percent of COPD cases, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, are caused by smoking.14

 

 

12 Hamlett-Berry, KW, as cited in Beckham, JC et al. Preliminary findings from a clinical demonstration project for veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. Military Medicine. May 2008; 173(5):448-51.

13 Institute of Medicine (IOM), 2009. Combating Tobacco Use in Military and Veteran Populations. Washington D.C.: the National Academies Press.

14 Ibid.