Smoking, Drinking on Rise in MilitaryMarch 9, 2004
Research Summary
A 2002 poll finds an increase in cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption in the U.S. military, particularly among younger soldiers, sailors, and airmen, the Associated Press reported March 8.The Pentagon health survey, taken just before troops were deployed to the Persian Gulf, found that cigarette smoking rose to 34 percent compared with 30 percent in the 1998 survey. In addition, 30 percent of those polled said they started smoking in the military.
The rise in smoking was the first recorded since 1980.
Also on the rise is heavy drinking. According to the survey, military members who drank heavily, which was defined as having five or more drinks on a single occasion at least once a week, increased to 18.1 percent from 15.4 percent in the 1998 survey.
The survey included responses from 12,756 troops at 30 military installations worldwide.
COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE: