This Thanksgiving, how about cold turkey? Published Oct. 30, 2012 By Senior Airman Mary O'Dell 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- New Air Force tobacco policy guidelines to minimize the adverse impacts of tobacco use on the health, mission readiness and performance of Airmen will be implemented here, Nov. 15. "The intent of this policy is to promote the health and mission readiness of our total force" said William Saultes, Health Promotion Program Coordinator. The Institute of Medicine, an independent/nonprofit organization, published a comprehensive report (Combating Tobacco Use in the Military and Veteran Populations) concluding there is ample basis that tobacco use degrades military readiness. "Tobacco use is associated with reduced endurance, impaired night vision and decreased hearing," Saultes said. "Tobacco is also the cause of 443,000 deaths annually and those exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk for heart attack and cancers." In addition, Wounded Warriors who use tobacco suffer from impaired wound healing and greater post-operative complications, Saultes said. Per Air Force Instruction 40-102, this policy covers all tobacco products such as cigarettes, electronic-cigarettes, cigars, stem pipes, hookahs, smokeless products that are chewed, dipped or sniffed, the AFI applies to every member here at Fairchild, Saultes said. The 92nd Medical Group campus will be designated as a "Tobacco-free" campus and all other areas at Fairchild will have tobacco use restricted to Designated Tobacco Areas or base housing units. "The old AFI required bases to have designated areas, but gave no guidance as to where they should be located," Saultes explained. "The new AFI is very specific as to the distances between DTAs and walkways, a building entry, parking lots and playgrounds," he said. The benefits of a more restrictive tobacco policy are diverse and include: - Increased productivity - Decreased absenteeism - Lower cost of medical expenditures associated with tobacco use - Lower consumption rates among non-quitters - Improved success in long range tobacco cessation "To date, more than 3,200 civilian hospitals, nearly 600 college campuses and 19 Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities have adopted tobacco-free campus policies," Saultes said. The Department of Defense is committed to fulfilling its obligation to implement the National Prevention Strategy and reduce the adverse impact of tobacco use on health and mission readiness. Anyone who wants to quit using tobacco products should contact the Health and Wellness Center at 247-5590. There are several programs that can help you along the way.