R 301200Z OCT 00 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//M&RA//
TO MARADMIN
BT
UNCLAS
MARADMIN 529/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/MRS//
SUBJ/NOVEMBER 2000 HEALTH PROMOTION MESSAGE//
POC/FICADENTI CATHY/NAF/MRS/MR/TEL:(703)784-9542/TEL:DSN 278-9542
/TEL:FAX (703) 784-9822//
RMKS/1. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NATIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER
CALENDAR, NOVEMBER'S MESSAGE ADDRESSES TOBACCO AVOIDANCE/CESSATION.
THE INTENT OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF
THE USE OF TOBACCO IN ALL IT'S FORMS, AND TO COMMUNICATE ACTIVITIES
AND PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE TOBACCO CESSATION AND AVOIDANCE. THE
NAVY AND THE MARINE CORPS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE "AMERICAN
CANCER SOCIETY'S GREAT AMERICAN SMOKE OUT" ON THURSDAY 16 NOV 00.
2. THE 1998 DOD SURVEY OF HEALTH RELATED BEHAVIORS AMONG MILITARY
PERSONNEL INDICATES THAT, ALTHOUGH THE PREVALENCE OF ACTUAL CIGARETTE
SMOKING BY MARINES HAS DECLINED SINCE 1980, THE RATE REMAINS HIGH,
AT ALMOST 35 PER CENT. THE RATE OF CIGAR AND PIPE SMOKING AMONG
MARINES HAS INCREASED TO 42 PER CENT, AND THE MARINE CORPS HAS THE
HIGHEST RATE OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO USE OF ALL THE ARMED SERVICES, TO
INCLUDE 22 PER CENT OF 18-24 YEAR OLDS USING SMOKELESS TOBACCO.
THESE STATISTICS WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE REMAINS A GREAT NEED FOR
THE CONTINUED EDUCATION OF TOBACCO AVOIDANCE AND CESSATION PROGRAMS
IN THE MARINE CORPS.
3. SMOKING IS THE MOST PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH IN OUR SOCIETY.
NEARLY ONE IN FIVE DEATHS RESULTS FROM THE USE OF TOBACCO. TOBACCO
KILLS MORE AMERICANS EACH YEAR THAN ALCOHOL, COCAINE, CRACK, HEROIN,
HOMICIDE, SUICIDE, CAR ACCIDENTS, FIRES AND AIDS COMBINED. TO PUT
THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, EACH YEAR DEATHS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF
TOBACCO (450,000) NEARLY TOTAL THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED
IN WWI, WWII, KOREA AND VIETNAM COMBINED (457,426).
4. ACCORDING TO THE DOD ALCOHOL ABUSE AND TOBACCO USE REDUCTION
COMMITTEE, TOBACCO USE COSTS $584 MILLION IN DIRECT MEDICAL
EXPENSES, AND $385 MILLION IN PRODUCTIVITY LOSS THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE DOD. TO REDUCE THESE UNNECESSARY DEATHS AND EXPENSES, THE
DOD HAS ESTABLISHED A GOAL OF REDUCING SMOKING RATES BY 5 PER CENT
PER YEAR, AND SMOKELESS TOBACCO USE BY 15 PER CENT BY THE YEAR 2001.
DOD'S LONG TERM GOAL IS A SMOKE-FREE MILITARY BY THE YEAR 2010.
5. ALL TOBACCO PRODUCTS CONTAIN NICOTINE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY
ADDICTIVE. APPROXIMATELY 4,000 CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ARE GENERATED BY
THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT OCCUR IN THE INTENSE HEAT OF A BURNING
CIGARETTE. IN ADDITION, OF THESE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS, 43 OF THEM ARE
CANCER CAUSING AGENTS. THEREFORE, THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS
LINKED TO VARIOUS CANCERS THROUGHOUT THE BODY, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO: CANCER OF THE MOUTH, THROAT, VOICE BOX (LARYNX), LUNGS,
STOMACH, PANCREAS, LIVER, KIDNEYS, BLADDER, CERVIX, AND BONE.
6. THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF CIGARETTES ARE WELL
DOCUMENTED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF
THE USE OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO. SMOKELESS TOBACCO IS NOT A SAFE
ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING AND SIMPLY MOVES HEALTH PROBLEMS FROM THE
LUNGS TO MOUTH AND THROAT.
* 22 MILLION AMERICANS USE SMOKELESS TOBACCO REGULARLY AND THE
NUMBER IS INCREASING IN OUR ADOLESCENT POPULATION.
* 30.6% OF MALE MARINES AGED 18-24 USE SMOKELESS TOBACCO.
* HOLDING AN AVERAGE SIZED DIP OR CHEW IN THE MOUTH FOR 30 MINUTES
GIVES AS MUCH NICOTINE AS 4 CIGARETTES.
* SMOKELESS TOBACCO USERS HAVE A 50-FOLD INCREASED RISK OF ORAL
CANCER AND ACCOUNT FOR 90% OF CASES OF ORAL CANCER.
* OVER HALF OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO USERS DEVELOP ORAL MUCOSAL
ABNORMALITIES WITHIN 3.3 YEARS OF CONTINUAL USE AND CANCER CAN
DEVELOP FROM JUST 6 OR 7 YEARS OF USE.
* IN ADDITION TO THE ORAL CANCER RISK, SMOKELESS TOBACCO CAN ALSO
BE ASSOCIATED WITH GUM RECESSION (PEELING BACK OF THE GUMS),
BONE LOSS AROUND TEETH, AND ABRASION OF THE TEETH.
7. WHEN USERS OF ANY TOBACCO PRODUCTS TRY TO QUIT, THE ABSENCE OF
NICOTINE LEADS TO PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WITHDRAWAL. THESE
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR CESSATION TO BE
SUCCESSFUL.
8. THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS TO GIVE UP TOBACCO USAGE: COLD TURKEY
(ABRUPT ABSTAINMENT), GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL, NICOTINE REPLACEMENT
THERAPY, AND ZYBAN (AN ORAL MEDICATION) ARE THE MOST COMMON METHODS.
THE FDA HAS APPROVED NICOTINE GUM, NASAL SPRAY, INHALERS, AND PATCHES
TO HELP USERS QUIT SMOKING. ALL PHYSICAL METHODS OF QUITTING
TOBACCO PRODUCTS SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH CONSULTATION OF
PROFESSIONALS FROM YOUR LOCAL MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY AND/OR
SEMPER FIT HEALTH PROMOTION OFFICE. WHATEVER METHOD OR METHODS ARE
USED, THE FIRST STEP IS THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO QUIT.
9. THE NAVY/MARINE CORPS HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS WILL BE
SPONSORING THE GREAT AMERICAN NAVY/MARINE CORPS SMOKE OUT DAY ON
THURSDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2000. GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT KITS ARE
AVAILABLE AT NO COST BY CALLING YOUR LOCAL AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
EACH KIT INCLUDES SUGGESTED TIMETABLES, MEDIA MATERIALS,
ORGANIZATION TIPS, CAMERA READY ART, BUTTONS, POSTERS, AND OTHER
INFORMATION. THE NATIONAL OFFICE OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CAN
BE REACHED AT 1-800-227-2345. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE
DOWNLOADED BY ACCESSING THE NAVY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CENTER'S
(NEHC) WEBSITE AT WWW-NEHC.MED.NAVY.MIL. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SEMPER
FIT OFFICE FOR MORE INFO AND DETAILS ON LOCAL ACTIVITIES.
10. MARINE CORPS COMMUNITIES SHOULD INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TOBACCO USAGE ON BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND COMMAND
READINESS, AND UTILIZE EVENTS/ARTICLES TO EMPHASIZE THE CAPABILITIES
TO ASSIST MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ACHIEVING TOBACCO FREE
LIFESTYLES.
11. ENHANCING OUR READINESS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
REQUIRES THAT ALL MARINES, MALE AND FEMALE, FROM OUR YOUNGEST PRIVATE
TO OUR SENIOR COMMANDERS, BE PROACTIVE IN ENHANCING HEALTHY
LIFESTYLES AND REDUCING HEALTH DETRACTORS FOR A FIT AND READY FORCE.
//
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