Posted on Mar 31, 2014
What does everyone think about the idea of banning tobacco use in the military?
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I have both smoked and dipped throughout my almost nine years in. I have quit smoking for personal reasons but have no bad thoughts about people that still do. I do dip though not often and other than hating spit bottles being left around I don't really care who does or doesn't. Just curious on other people thoughts
Posted in these groups: 
Health
Smokeless Tobacco
Health Smokeless Tobacco
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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I've been dipping for 20 years and it has no effect on my job performance, leadership skills or APFT. I should quit, I know this, but that should be up to me.
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ALCON: see: http://www.tobaccoharmreduction.org/faq/healtheffectsofst.htm
There is a TON of evidence that smoking is a major health hazard but NO evidence that smokeless tobacco is a hazard at all. In fact, it has been shown scientifically that if you are a smoker and have a nicotine addiction, switching to smokeless tobacco is a much safer alternative. The carcinogenic factor in tobacco (like most anything else) gets fired up, quite literally, when the tobacco gets fired up, that is when it's burned. The carcinogenic factor is tobacco smoke (with its high content of carbon monoxide--just like any kind of smoke is carcinogenic). The carcinogenic factor in smokeless tobacco is about the same as found in broccoli, or ANY other plant that you stick in your mouth and spit out. I surely hope that the Army figures this out and gets rid of the smokeless tobacco prohibitions in AR 600-63. They are clearly relying on popular opinion here. Using smokeless tobacco is a very safe and effective means of quitting smoking. See the attachment for a start, but do your own research instead of letting the Army do it for you.
There is a TON of evidence that smoking is a major health hazard but NO evidence that smokeless tobacco is a hazard at all. In fact, it has been shown scientifically that if you are a smoker and have a nicotine addiction, switching to smokeless tobacco is a much safer alternative. The carcinogenic factor in tobacco (like most anything else) gets fired up, quite literally, when the tobacco gets fired up, that is when it's burned. The carcinogenic factor is tobacco smoke (with its high content of carbon monoxide--just like any kind of smoke is carcinogenic). The carcinogenic factor in smokeless tobacco is about the same as found in broccoli, or ANY other plant that you stick in your mouth and spit out. I surely hope that the Army figures this out and gets rid of the smokeless tobacco prohibitions in AR 600-63. They are clearly relying on popular opinion here. Using smokeless tobacco is a very safe and effective means of quitting smoking. See the attachment for a start, but do your own research instead of letting the Army do it for you.
FAQ: Health Effects (tobaccoharmreduction.org)
Contrary to popular belief, smokeless tobacco is not a major health hazard. In fact, it has not been definitively linked to any deadly disease. More important, to the extent that it causes any risks, the scientific evidence clearly shows that the risks are very small (See Lee & Hamling 2009).
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Smoking is legal (well, pseudo-legal with our gutless politicians, who will ban smokers from bars and every public building in a city or state, yet don't have the intestinal fortitude to take on the subject of outlawing tobacco - yes, I know, tax/tax/tax!!!), as long as it is - why would you outlaw it in the military? Yes, I know it's bad, causes all kinds of bad stuff and could be the downfall of western civilization - however, the military is not a social experiment to rid the world of bad habits or ban those things we feel are untenable. What's next, alcohol? Diet soda? FYI - I don't smoke, never have, never liked it, my dad died from esphogeal cancer from 60 years of puffing - but far more incidious than cigarettes are those nanny states.
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