Department of Defense to Troops: Quit the spit

  • Published
  • By Air Force News Service
FALLS CHURCH, Va. --   The U.S. Department of Defense is urging servicemembers to ditch smokeless tobacco Feb. 18 during the Great American Spit Out.

Tobacco use brings serious implications for military men and women, including fatigue, muscle weakness, decreased physical performance and impaired night vision. DoD is ramping up its efforts to combat these problems by providing information specifically intended for smokeless tobacco users through its online tobacco cessation campaign, Quit Tobacco -- Make Everyone Proud at http://www.ucanquit2.org.

"Smokeless tobacco is a significant threat," said Capt. David Arday, M.D., M.P.H., a U.S. Public Health Service officer and chairman of the DoD Alcohol and Tobacco Advisory Committee. "The men and women of the military have the strength to quit and (the Great American Spit Out) is a great time to take advantage of the tools available to help them in this battle."

In the military, 17 percent of 18-to-24-year-old males use smokeless tobacco. While many consider it a safer alternative to smoking, smokeless products such as snuff or chewing tobacco contain more concentrated doses of nicotine and other harmful chemicals, including 28 carcinogens.

Smokeless tobacco companies target teens and young adults by creating sweetened
nicotine products that come in fruity flavors and colorful packaging. DoD is challenging military personnel to resist marketing ploys and give up smokeless tobacco, starting with the spit-out event.

Servicemembers can log on to http://www.ucanquit2.org/facts/gaspo to get the facts on chewing tobacco and snuff, see images of the harmful effects of smokeless tobacco and send their questions directly to tobacco cessation expert Capt. Larry N. Williams, U.S. Navy tobacco clinical cessation champion.

Starting in February, servicemembers can download the new Quit Tools widget to their desktops. After creating a customized quit plan, the widget automatically updates personal statistics such as total tobacco-free days, daily savings, savings to date and reasons for quitting. Other online features include quitting blogs, quitting plans, quit calendars, social-networking pages, an "I Quit Tobacco" Facebook application and anonymous live chats with trained tobacco cessation coaches. All services are free of charge.

Support and camaraderie are among the most influential factors in successfully quitting tobacco. Research shows that people who try to quit chewing or smoking with a friend are 36 percent more likely to remain tobacco-free. Through the use of cutting-edge interactive tools, servicemembers are not alone when they embark on the quitting process. They are encouraged to link into support options and connect to a variety of resources via their computers or phones, putting help in the palm of their hands and keeping smokeless tobacco out.