By I don’t smoke, but I tell you what adding tobacco products to US military urinalysis testing is wrong:
Calls for a ban on tobacco use in the military — a habit that medical experts say saps servicemember health and drains billions in public dollars annually — are growing loud this summer, but the fate of any new regulation is uncertain at best.
In June, the nonprofit Institute of Medicine recommended a phased-in ban across the Department of Defense after the institute completed a study requested by the DOD. When the institute’s recommendations were released, the American Lung Association said the U.S. military should establish a historic tobacco ban much like it moved to end racial segregation and accept women.
But America might not be ready for such landmark change. A shift in national attitudes and rules about tobacco might be needed to make a DOD-wide ban realistic, said Dr. Jack Smith, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense forclinical and program policy.
Smith and others in the DOD say they worry such a big change could hurt military recruitment efforts.
“Tobacco for better or worse is a legal substance,” said Smith, who is reviewing the Institute of Medicine study. A ban would be “radically different than society as a whole.”
The DOD will consider the tobacco recommendations — including immediate bans for new officers and enlisted personnel enforced by urine testing — when it convenes its Medical and Personnel Council in a few months, Smith said. [Stars & Stripes]
If the DOD wants to add something to urinalysis testing than why don’t they add alcohol? I have said this before and will say it again that smoking is no where near the problem both in the military and society in general as alcohol. How many servicemembers have committed smoking related incidents compared to the number of alcohol related incidents like DUI’s? How many sexual assault cases has there been due to alcohol? How many physical assault cases has there been due to alcohol? How many work hours are lost every year to the Army due to leadership dealing with alcohol related incidents and servicemembers having to attend substance abuses classes? The list goes on and on and you see no one wanting to ban alcohol.
I will take a smoker over an alcoholic any day.
5:45 pm on August 11th, 2009 1
Even though I don't smoke, I could fail that test after spending 10 minutes in a bar or standing 20 minutes at a bus stop in Korea.
10:55 pm on August 11th, 2009 2
I can see it all now: half of a Ranger Battalion kept back from a deployment and chaptered out of the Army because they chew Copenhagen. A great commander's career in tatters because he has failed in reducing tobacco demand in his unit.
When Copenhagen is outlawed, only outlaws will have Copenhagen. And 'dip' will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through time of no Copenhagen.
One more sign that all the Army really wants are Mormons. "Welcome to the MEPPS station! SGT/Elder Smith will lead us through your full-emersion baptism, and we'll give you 3 sets of magic underwear for free!"
3:00 am on August 12th, 2009 3
“Welcome to the MEPPS station! SGT/Elder Smith will lead us through your full-emersion baptism, and we’ll give you 3 sets of magic underwear for free!”
Thanks, now I have coffee in my sinuses from laughing..
If smoking is considered dangerous, well, so is war. so let's just not have them. Airborne and Air Assault operations are dangerous, forget that training, motorcycles? Nope too dangerous. Vaccinations? Nope, might cause a rash. PT? Nope can't do it, it increases indorphins…and might lead to addiction…Anthony's Pizza on post? Hell no! They gotta go! It's Soylent Green or nothing!…
I'd like to see a whole company take a picture sporting big ol cigars! Just for the hell of it…
11:01 am on August 12th, 2009 4
Soon they will only be allowed to eat Vegan foods also.
12:18 pm on August 12th, 2009 5
The Commander in Chief smokes, will he be found unfit to lead the Armed Forces of the United States? This is more Jackassery from people who are more concerned with what Soldiers do on their own time than defending the country. BTW, I don't smoke, never did, never will.
12:41 pm on August 12th, 2009 6
Signs of the times – you can be a homo and stay in the military – but if your a smoking homo you may get the boot. I personally think they should also target folks who have less than 20/20 vision and wear glasses.
Just think of the money that could be saved by not issuing the BC specks.
2:03 pm on August 12th, 2009 7
“Welcome to the MEPPS station! SGT/Elder Smith will lead us through your full-emersion baptism, and we’ll give you 3 sets of magic underwear for free!”
Magic underwear are unnecessary. The Road Guard Vest serves the same purpose.
12:03 pm on December 3rd, 2010 8
#1-#9 This thread is 100% full of WIN! I like where it's going. The very thought of them outlawing dihydrogen monoxide makes me quiver of thirst.
I would state however that it is not a Mormon military they are after but instead they would prefer evangelicals. I think I read somewhere that 80% of army chaplains are evangelicals (as a large number of general officers profess to be, my namesake for example). Since they claim chaplains are there for all the troops, where are the atheist and agnostic chaplains? You know, those educated in science and reason instead of spending four years studying the ancient equivalent of the Brothers Grimm.
/Jesus=Santa Claus for adults.
6:07 pm on December 3rd, 2010 9
They should test for dihydrogen monoxide. Find out who has that stuff in the urine, and take appropriate action.