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For Immediate Release 9-18-19 Clever, MO.
Today the Silver Star Families of America has come out against, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie decision to ban all smoking at V.A. facilities.
In a press release, the founder of the organization, Steve Newton stated:
While the Silver Star Families of America, (SSFOA), recognizes the dangers of smoking and encourages all veterans to take advantage of the V.A.’s many programs to help them stop, we are against the decision by V.A. Secretary Robert Wilkie to dismantle all smoking areas at V.A. facilities.
As in many decisions made solely by the government, we are afraid of unintended consequences, such as veterans who might not seek treatment at VA facilities if they can’t smoke there. (20 out of 100 veterans, or 1.6 million people, currently smoke cigarettes*)
There are many problems with this arbitrary decision:
First the Secretary uses only the V.A. mission statement as his authority for banning smoking. “To provide a complete medical and hospital service for the medical care and treatment of veterans.” This is ridiculous. Using this standard the Secretary could ban soft drinks, high calorie food or anything else he doesn’t like.
Second
The Secretary has bypassed Congress and in fact is in violation of the law as stated in the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992. He has not consulted Congress, any Veteran Service Organization that we know of, or opened the question up for public comment. Furthermore, and more egregiously, he has not ask the VETERANS he is supposed to be serving what they thought.
Thirdly
The Secretary is violating veteran’s right to choose as stated in the Ninth Amendment which alludes to it and the Fourteenth Amendment which enforces it. “Freedom of Choice” is a fundamental right, grouped with a “Right to Privacy”.
And lastly “fining” a veteran $50.00 for smoking when they have given so much for this country is simply not acceptable. Is this serving the veterans the V.A. is mandated to serve?
We strongly suggest that Secretary Robert Wilkie immediately delay this arbitrary decision and allow Congress, VSO’s and the veterans themselves a chance to weigh in on this matter.
If this decision is not delayed we will instruct our counsel to prepare a request for an emergency injunction.
The Silver Star Families of America is a nonprofit that remembers, honors and assists the wounded, ill and injured of our armed forces from all wars.
*https://www.recoveryfirst.org/veterans/smoking/
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0111-tobacco-use-veterans.html
The decision to come out against a smoking ban was an incredibly hard one to make. But in our opinion the rights of over a million veterans must be protected. And in the interest of full disclosure yes I do smoke myself.
apparently not.
When they put a smoking ban in effect up in my locale back in about 2002 or 2003, they even banned it in areas that were separately ventilated and/or had very good air purification systems. This applied to these things even in seniors’ residences and legion halls. It was such a stupid sledgehammer to a fly approach to have this law and to tell persons who’d been smoking all of those years to simply go outside and smoke, particularly where the winters can be quite harsh.
Last time I was in a VA hospital was over ten years ago, and the smoking section was completely cut off from everything else.
Although there’s no question smoking is very bad for a person, this is a tough call to make.
I prize personal liberties above all else and s person should be able to do whatever they want regardless how harmful it may be to their person.
The second hand smoke question would be my only concern. I am however, not convinced that 2nd hand smoke is other than minimally hartmful.
Hmmm so? (USN 78-84). I’ve seen too many seniors on oxygen tanks to really think this is something special.
I have not seen a VA facility where smoking was permitted.
Good grief. I had no idea they still allowed smoking in these hospitals.
Geeez, it’s so good to see someone push back on the usurpation of rights, especially those attacking the freedom these veterans actually fought for in defending our country and the downtrodden in other countries.
Already, smokers are banished to the elements to enjoy their cigarette or confined to unattractive spaces, dare a waft of smoke be detected by the nostrils of some prig’s nose!
We are not in the USA to be guinea pigs for experiments by Nazis testing how many rights we will give up before we stand up and fight, and say, “Hell NO”, to the “Yes We Can!” gang, of over educated communists.
Hallelujah!
“Today the Silver Star Families of America has come out against, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie decision to ban all smoking at V.A. facilities.”
Wilkie...yet another Big Government puke.
Tough decision? BS. Fascists loooove doing this s***. Are they going to ban cars at VA facilities next? Cars kill a lot more people than cigarettes.
Steve-
I don’t believe most civilian hospitals allow smoking.
But specifically to military... Please let us know how you evaluated degradation to fitness? For example, the ability to run 800 yards, rescue a buddy and return?
Second, overwhelming evidence points to smoking inhibiting wound care.
Let us know how these items were evaluated in your decision.
The enemy machinegun and rocket fire didn't kill me........luckily some do-gooder is there to make sure Phillip Morris doesn't finish the job.
screw all these nanny state @5540!35.
Does he think he is a warden in a prison? These Veterans are not prisoners, they are patients and he works for THEM.
For clarification, the smoking areas at VA hospitals (AFAIK) are always out of doors and always some bit removed from any entrance so non-smokers might come and go without being inconvenienced.
I’m an anti-smoking nazi and I think if anyone has earned the right to stupidly smoke cigarettes, it’s anyone who is eligible for treatment at a VA hospital. Not to forget, the government saw to it that field rations included cigarettes up until the year that Saigon fell, 1975. So quite a number of the Vets still receiving care at these facilities came by their addiction with government approval and support. So it seems a bit hypocritical that the VA should even consider denying them their nicotine fix during those absurdly long waits at the VA. Lord knows there’s been many a time when I wished I DID smoke so there’d be something to do to break up the monotony.
Since they apparently believe that the smoke people may be subjected to outdoors is harmful, I’m certain this ban will be followed by a ban of gas or diesel fueled vehicles on the property. Exhaust is harmful too.