The pentagon is currently reviewing a study that is recommending banning the use of tobacco by military personnel. My question in what are they thinking? Yes the outward costs of medical care and so on for the soldiers is quite large. However, they already sacrifice enough for our freedoms, why take away one of the few relaxing pleasures that can get while in battle.
According to their study around 32 percent of our armed forces use tobacco, while only 20 percent on the US adult population smokes. I think those numbers are completely understandable and honestly I am surprised that the number of Military smokers is not higher. After all the stress and fatigue that endure so that we may enjoy our lifestyles.
I think the government is wrong by trying to force these ideals on to our soldiers. They already give up so much. There are things that are legal for citizens to do, that are not allowed to do. And we want to enforce more on them?
I am a tobacco user myself, I want to quit, and someday I will however it will be at my decision. Because I am a U.S. citizen, I have rights. Just because someone higher up thinks that I shouldn’t smoke does not give them the right to tell me I can’t smoke, or at least not yet. In Oregon, they’re even trying to make the new electronic cigarettes illegal and keep people from using them!
Our men and women in the armed forces see things, do things and endure terrible, horrible things. Things that haunt them for years afterward.
hey see and do these things so that we, us American citizens don’t have to. I know a great many service men and women. I’ve heard the stories of how when the fighting was thick, where there never seemed to be an end, and when there would be no sleep for days. A cigarette would bring them enough of a calm to get through it all and continue on.
Think about your average everyday life, and multiply it by a hundred. We as American citizens have no idea of how easy our lives our. Our soldiers know how hard life can be, when in combat they deal with it on an everyday basis. So why do we want to take away something that brings them some calm?
Think about it this way, sadly some of our soldiers are wound so tightly that the slightest things could sent them off. I can guarantee you that the ones I am referring to smoke cigarettes, do you really, really want to take away something that keeps them from going over the edge.
We are in a state of war people, it’s not pretty, It’s not easy, and I am sadly not someone over there fighting. I may not be able to fight with them over there, but I can certainly fight for them over here. They give up enough, their family, time spent watching their children grow, some even give up their lives. Let’s not take away more from them.
The smokers state side are already feeling the burn, and the isolation of our habit. Lets not hurt those who’s morale and safety depend on it. Leave us smokers alone.