Troops take a deep breath: RAF Lakenheath airmen dealing with on-duty tobacco ban

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Troops take a deep breath: RAF Lakenheath airmen dealing with on-duty tobacco ban
By Charlie Reed, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Monday, November 3, 2008

RAF LAKENHEATH, England — The commander of the 48th Security Forces Squadron has banned his airmen from using tobacco products while on duty — one of the more drastic anti-tobacco efforts at the military’s disposal.

Maj. John Northon adopted the policy Oct. 1, about a month after meeting with base officials to discuss the squadron’s tobacco-use rate — the highest being at Lakenheath, which is near 40 percent.

"We gave them a little time to prepare for it," said Northon. "I knew it wasn’t going to be a popular decision."

With smoking, dipping and chewing on the rise among the junior enlisted ranks, the military is stepping up its efforts to curb tobacco use among troops, from prohibiting use while on duty or in uniform to more sweeping pushes for base-wide bans.

"Drastic" policies like that "can be the most effective way of impacting the problem," said Chuck Watkins, director of the Communications Research Division at TRICARE Management Activity in Virginia.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58587