Air Force tobacco bans are gaining steam

[babylonsister]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=45458

Air Force tobacco bans are gaining steam

snip//

The U.S. Air Force, faced with a goal of dramatically reducing tobacco use by 2010, is getting set to implement its first widespread ban on such products.

The Air Force Material Command will soon start a three-phase program that will eventually eliminate the use of tobacco products at its bases, according to Lt. Col. Sherry Sasser, chief of health promotions for the Air Force Surgeon General’s office.

Sasser said Thursday in a telephone interview that the move — which doesn’t have a specific start date yet — was approved last week at a Community Action Information Board meeting. The quarterly meetings are held by the services to discuss issues and implement changes.

“It boils down to dollars. It boils down to resources,” said Sasser, citing statistics that the Air Force loses more than $80 million annually in productivity because of airmen who use tobacco products. “There is not one positive health benefit from using tobacco. Not one.”

The plan by the AFMC has been months in the making, she said. The 31st Medical Group at Aviano Air Base implemented a ban on its airmen smoking in uniform in March, and other bases have banned smoking in on-base dorms. But such moves have never been tried by a major command. AFMC, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, includes 10 bases in the States. Among them are Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

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[Little Wing]

1. There is not one positive health benefit from using tobacco

Well, it keeps the upper ranks from getting smacked around :shrug:

[msongs]

2. Air Force taken over by hardcore right wing christofascists that's more important nt

[AndyTiedye]

3. Now It Will Be a Bunch of Christofascists with Nukes Having Nicotine Fits

:scared::nuke:

[LiberalFighter]

4. I hope they start with the commanders and those with office jobs

[jody]

5. They should ban alcoholic beverages, “There is not one positive health benefit from using alcohol".

[Skittles]

6. this is good

my tobacco habit really accelerated when I was an airman because damn, they pracically encouraged people to smoke back then