By I don’t smoke and think dipping is pretty disgusting but I do think it is a slippery slope when I read about bans like this that the Air Force is contemplating:
Air Force officials said Thursday that a widespread ban on tobacco products is possible, but not imminent.Â
Specialists are working on such policies and they appear to be a likely option in the not-so-distant future, according to Lt. Col. Steven Pflanz, chairman of the Air Force’s Integrated Delivery System, an arm of the service’s Community Action Information Board. The board, which meets quarterly, is designed to identify and resolve concerns from a variety of sources throughout the Air Force.
“There was general support for moving forward with a restrictive policy and evaluating carefully what that policy should be,†Pflanz said of the CAIB meeting held two weeks ago.
“There is recognition that to get anywhere near our goal, we have to try something new.â€
The Air Force must obviously not have much other pressing concerns if this is what they are focusing on. If the Army announced a ban on tobacco there would be damn near a mutiny in the ranks with the amount of people who smoke and dip which often includes senior leaders. I don’t use tobacco which means any tobacco ban in the Army wouldn’t effect me, but I’m not for this because where do you draw the line? If tobacco is banned than what is to stop someone from banning alcohol next? Then what will be banned after that? Additionally how many good airmen that do smoke are going to get in trouble under this policy if imposed that ordinarily would not? Should the military be possibly ruining careers over someone sneaking in a smoke during lunch?Â
8:18 pm on May 6th, 2007 1
Like the 2ID .10 BAC policy?
Reply
12:54 am on May 7th, 2007 2
[...] Drop: Air Force to Ban Tobacco?Posted 8 hours agoI don’t smoke and think dipping is pretty disgusting but I do think it is a [...]
2:31 am on May 7th, 2007 3
“If tobacco is banned than what is to stop someone from banning alcohol next?”
Now, you’re catching on, GI.
“Additionally how many good airmen that do smoke are going to get in trouble under this policy if imposed that ordinarily would not?”
Naaaaw. That would never happen. When they lowered the drinking age, the number of underage drinkers busted when down… uh… didn’t it?
This sounds like a case of “it sure would be good if nobody used tobacco products”… and it would. But, unless they are prepared to engage in a War on Tobacco… modeled after the extremely successful War on Alcohol in which complete victory was declared in 1933, the current War on Drugs which I’m not even sure are available anymore and the War on Terror which I hear is almost over as there hasn’t been a terrorist act in the last couple of hours… well, I don’t see a tobacco ban working out quite the way they might want.
It can be done, but I’m guessing it has to be done through a gradual and willing change of culture… kinda like how you just don’t see a lot of laudanum users anymore.
J!
Reply
5:08 am on May 7th, 2007 4
First the porn mags in the PX. That worked so lets do it with smokes! If ya got even alittle sense, (i didn’t say COMMON), you know this is just stupid to think about. Somebody needs a real mission in life. What ever happened to “The Land of the Free”?
And I don’t smoke, But I do like my dip.
Makes me want to start drinking again………..
Reply
10:19 am on May 7th, 2007 5
Unlike Army and Marines, AF has can afford to have this type of strict regulation. Even with banning tobacco products, AF still has no problem recruiting and retention due to war in Iraq and Afghanistan at this time.
Reply
11:49 pm on May 8th, 2007 6
[...] tip- ROK Drop who says such a ban by the Army could result in a mutiny. A mutiny by the Army? Wouldn’t that [...]
12:59 am on May 9th, 2007 7
No smoking II…
A military ban on the use of tobacco. The army may have a mutiny. Wouldn’t that be ironic?…
5:05 am on May 9th, 2007 8
I think next the AF should ban the 18 different types of hats they wear around the base while in uniform
Reply