Smoking is unhealthy. Fifty years ago, the first Surgeon General’s Report on smoking and health revealed that smoking cigarettes raises your risk of developing several diseases.
So why do so many people still do it? The answers are complex.
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, and secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 49,400 heart and lung cancer deaths each year nationwide. Smoking rates have declined, but at the same time, more than 20 million Americans have died too soon because of smoking.
The chemicals from tobacco smoke travel from the lungs into the bloodstream. They damage heart and blood vessels to cause cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and stroke. Cardiovascular disease kills over 800,000 people a year nationwide. The compounds in tobacco smoke can enter cells throughout your body and damage the DNA inside.
DNA is the long threadlike molecule found in nearly all your cells. It’s an essential “blueprint” that controls how your cells grow, where they go, and what they do. When DNA gets damaged, cells can begin to grow abnormally. The body usually attacks and kills such cells. The toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke weaken this process, making it easier for the cells to multiply out of control and the result is cancer.
Smokers dramatically increase their risk of developing many types of cancer. Nearly all lung cancer, the number-one cancer killer, is caused by smoking. Smoking can lead to cancer in many parts of the body, including the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, stomach, pancreas, liver, kidney, bladder, colon, rectum, cervix and leukemia.
Smoking can cause all sorts of other health issues, too. When the DNA in sperm becomes damaged, it can lead to infertility. Smoking while pregnant can cause a host of problems, including low birth weight and preterm delivery. Smokers are 30-40 percent more likely to develop type two diabetes than nonsmokers and smoking can make it harder for the body to fight disease.
While tobacco use takes an enormous toll on all users, it has particularly detrimental consequences for active-duty military personnel. Tobacco use reduces Airmen’s physical fitness and endurance and is linked to higher rates of absenteeism and lost productivity. In addition, service members who use tobacco are more likely to drop out of basic training, sustain injuries and have poor vision, all of which compromise troop readiness.
Tobacco use also places a significant burden on the Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs healthcare systems. In 2008, the DoD assistant secretary for health affairs stated, “Every year, tobacco use leads to unnecessary compromises in the readiness of our troops and costs the DoD millions of dollars in preventable health care costs.” In fact, the DoD spends more than $1.6 billion each year on tobacco-related medical care, increased hospitalization and lost days of work. Tobacco-related costs to the Military Health Service alone amounted to $564 million in 2006.
The Air Force understands the harmful effects of tobacco, but quitting tobacco is difficult. Airmen aware of someone looking to quit should support them today and through the process. Encouragement could help them kick the habit for good.
Studies show 99 percent of all regular tobacco users start by the age of 26. Tobacco-free policies are an effective way to reduce tobacco use by preventing and making it easier for smokers to quit. Policies have also shown to decrease smoking rates and positive attitudes toward tobacco use. Having designated tobacco areas on military installations would discourage initiation among service members, encourage current users to quit and strengthen the military’s tobacco use control efforts.
If you are a smoker, the single most important thing you can do to protect your health and the health of your family is to quit. Research has revealed effective strategies to help people quit tobacco. Studies show people who talk to their doctors about quitting or call quit lines for advice are more successful than those who go at it alone. Quitters can double or triple their chances of success by using medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration, nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, along with coaching support.
Cessation options are available to active duty, dependents, civilian employees, and retirees to aid in cessation efforts. The Health Promotion office, located in the Koritz Medical Clinic, offers several free and tremendously helpful tobacco cessation programs.
If you use tobacco products and are ready to reduce or eliminate the habit, please solicit support from the medical staff, your leadership, or fellow Airmen. If you do not use tobacco products, be a good wingman to those who wish to quit by actively supporting them in reaching their goals. The right choice is now.
Columbus Air Force Base Tobacco Quit Options
Quit Lines:
Tricare Quit Line: 1-877-414-9949
State of Mississippi Quit Line: 1-800-QUITNOW
American Lung Association: 1-877-LUNGUSA
Freedom Smoking 1-844-IAMFREE
Web: Ucanquit2.org OR www.quitnow.net/
Apps: QuitSTART, NCI QuitPal and Smokefree QuitGuide
Mr. Robert Pagenkopf, Columbus AFB Tobacco Cessation Facilitator: 662-434-1688