WASHINGTON, D.C. -- December 4, 2014 -- The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to pass a Defense Authorization Act today that if enacted would have both a detrimental and a positive impact on the military's tobacco control efforts.
A statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Director of Federal Relations Gregg Haifley on the proposed legislation follows:
While the proposed legislation includes an important provision that would promote tobacco cessation by eliminating substantial price discounts currently applied to tobacco products sold at commissaries and exchanges, ACS CAN is extremely disappointed that additional ælanguage in the bill would prohibit any new policy banning the sale of tobacco products sold in defense retail establishments or on vessels at sea.
We are very discouraged that Congress is interfering with the military's efforts to protect the health of the men and women who serve our country by tying the hands of armed services leadership and making it impossible to enact a tobacco sales ban. This unwise action is a direct reaction to Navy Secretary Mabus' consideration earlier this year of a policy to stop selling tobacco products on bases and ships -- a proposal strongly supported by the public health community. With passage of the bill, no branch of the military will have the freedom to enact such a policy that could reduce initiation of tobacco use and motivate tobacco users to quit.
With a smoking rate that is considerably higher than that of the general population, we must do everything we can to protect members of the military from the devastating health effects of tobacco use. That's why we are supportive of the provision of the bill that eliminates price discounting at exchanges and commissaries. We know that increasing the price of tobacco products is the most effective way to discourage people from starting to smoke and increase the number of smokers who quit. To this day, tobacco products sold at exchanges and commissaries are too often deeply discounted, contributing to the fact that up to 40 percent of smokers in the military start smoking after enlisting. Eliminating those price discounts will undoubtedly keep many non-smokers from starting and help many military members quit.
We are awaiting the imminent release of a report from a Department of Defense task force analyzing actions the military can take to reduce the burden of tobacco on service men and women. We're hopeful that the Department of Defense review will result in strong proposals to reduce initiation rates and help members of the military quit using tobacco.
ACS CAN calls on Congress to strike the provision that would prohibit military policies, which would promote the health of our armed services.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visitæhttps://www.fightcancer.org/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Lauren Walens or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 661-5763 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
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