Should DoD Ban Smoking?

Week of July 13, 2009

A new Institute of Medicine report recommends that the Department of Defense gradually reduce (and eventually eliminate) the use of tobacco products to restore and maintain the optimal health and readiness of our nation's servicemembers. One in five Americans uses tobacco, but more than 30 percent of active-duty military personnel and about 22 percent of veterans use tobacco. The DoD spends more than $1.6 billion per year on tobacco-related medical care, increased hospitalizations, and lost days of work. The report Combating Tobacco in Military and Veteran Populations is available in PDF format.