Topic: Rules regarding chewing tobacco

[kona_mtb]

I have my swear in date to the Rocky Mountain Rangers in September and was just wondering the rules regarding chewing tobacco. I know lots of the men chew but when and where is appropriate?

[Occam]

Chewing tobacco is no longer appropriate unless you swallow it.  Similarly, smoking tobacco is permitted, but exhaling is strictly prohibited.

 

Seriously, though...from the Dress Manual

2. Behaviour. Personnel in uniform shall
comport themselves in a manner which projects a
positive military appearance. Behaviour such as
chewing gum, slouching, placing hands in pockets,
smoking or eating on the street and walking hand in
hand, is forbidden. This instruction’s objective is to
project an image of a disciplined and self-controlled
force.

All that to say - if it's not in public (or on parade...<gasp>), chew away to your heart's content, or 'til you get oral cancer, whichever happens first.   

[Blackadder1916]

And the military medical view of the practice.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/ps/hpp-pps/aap-sdp/sl-sf-eng.asp

Smokeless But Not Harmless

As more and more CF members are deployed in developing countries, their exposure to various forms of smokeless tobacco is increasing.

Smokeless tobacco use is a significant but under-recognized public health problem. The reality is that smokeless tobacco is just as addictive and fatal as cigarettes.

Although the term "smokeless tobacco" is commonly used for tobacco products used orally, this is a term promoted by the tobacco industry that suggests that the product is harmless. To avoid that innocuous connotation, the term "spit tobacco" is increasingly used.

Smokeless tobacco appears in two common forms: chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco is usually sold as leaf tobacco (packaged in a pouch) or plug tobacco (brick form) and both are put between the cheek and the gum. Users keep chewing tobacco in their mouths for several hours to get a continuous high from the nicotine in the tobacco. Snuff is a powdered tobacco (usually sold in cans) that is put between the lower lip and the gum. Just a pinch is all that is needed to release the nicotine, which is swiftly absorbed into the blood stream.

Traditionally, the main users of smokeless tobacco in Canada have been largely Aboriginal people in Northern communities and some athletes, particularly baseball players. But results of HLIS-2000 Survey indicated that more than 1,500 (2-3%) CF Regular Force members reported using chewing or snuff tobacco. This raises concerns because some people think that smokeless tobacco is a safe substitute for cigarettes. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Like cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff contain many chemicals that can be harmful to your health. The nicotine content of chewing tobacco can be 4 times that of 1 cigarette. Nicotine in chewing tobacco can cause measurable increases in heart rate and blood pressure within 5 minutes of use. It contains at least 28 cancer-causing agents.

Chewing tobacco can cause inflammation of the gums, a pre-cancerous condition wherein the gums whiten and harden in patches, usually in areas where the tobacco is chewed in the oral cavity; the risk of developing this type of cancer is 2-11 times higher for chewers compared to those who do not have this habit. The risk increases as tobacco is chewed over longer periods of time. Only half of oral cancer patients are still alive 5 years after diagnosis.

The social consequences of smokeless tobacco are not pleasant either. Bad breath, gunk stuck on your teeth and constant spitting can have a very negative effect on your social and love life.

If you are, or a family member is using smokeless tobacco, see your doctor or pharmacist about getting help with quitting. Since the process of quitting is similar for chewing and smoking tobacco use, using pharmaceutical aids and joining a Butt Out group are excellent options. CF military members are eligible to get pharmacological therapy under some conditions.

If a buddy suggests trying smokeless tobacco or your teenage son points out that baseball players use it, let them know about the damage it can cause. It may be smokeless, but it is not harmless!

INFORMATION:

Donald Déry, M. Sc. Addiction Educator,
DCOS FHP/Strengthening the Forces
613-945-8062 /3156

[CDN Aviator]

I'm sure thats not what the OP was looking for.........

[Technoviking]

As already stated, it is permissible; however, don't do it in places where you may have to speak as a lecturer/instructor.  Anyway, tobacco is a legal product, available throughout Canada.  If you are deploying overseas, ensure your supply: you won't always have access to a tobacconist.

(PS: The really cool kids smoke, the wannabes chew)

(j/k)

[medicineman]

I wouldn't have a wad of chew in my mouth if on parade either - best saved for in the platoon room or field, as RSM's/CSM's get a little apoplectic over someone drooling chew spit or launching some during inspection  .

MM

[zzyzx723]

On my courses, a few of the guys have had a dip when we're sitting in class. I remember one guy on my LSVW course always had a pinch of chew in, and spit into the same bottle every day (he just emptied it and rinsed it out at night ). None of the staff or civi instructors seem to mind. But yeah, there are places where it would definitely be inappropriate, and you'll figure those out quick in the military.

[VIChris]

Whatever you do, don't hide your dip cup in a dresser drawer, and hope your IC/ 2IC doesn't open that drawer on inspection. This happened to one of my roomates, and there was a nice little trail of spittle across the floor, and a big splash where the cup somehow missed the garbage can when the MCpl was kind enough to help my roomate by getting his garbage to the can for him. Not a fun cleanup.

[Macey]

What is your unit policy on chewing tobacco? I'm getting rode hard over me chewing. Can't do it in the garage...nor the smoking area. And I use a bottle to spit. Civvies cried foul to the Sgt over me. And this my way of getting my fix without smoking.  Seems to me that if you are unionized in DND, you get to go on a whining campaign. I hate garrison!

Sorry for the vent,
It pisses me off even now.. pills or not.

Your thoughts?

[CDN Aviator]

Never seen any issue anywhere. Working with civvies is, well, "interesting", as have been finding out the last few months.

[Occam]

Civvies cried foul to the Sgt over me.

Cried foul over what?

Speaking as a relatively new civvie, and an almost 4-year ex-smoker, I have to ask - what reg are you supposedly breaking?

As long as you're not chawing on it like a yokel, and spitting into the bottle within eyeshot of any of the other workers...I don't know what grounds anyone has to complain.

[Macey]

Is there anything in "the books" stating I can not use chew?

[medicineman]

Only thing I can think of is chewing gum...if you're being discrete, the civvies have nothing to say unless they're in your CoC.  If they give you grief, ask them to cough up a regulation and show where in their collective agreement it says you can't chew.  Of course though, I say this all tongue in cheek, as I actively discourage tobacco use of any kind...

MM

[mariomike]

Is there anything in "the books" stating I can not use chew?

This may help.
"Rules regarding chewing tobacco"; 
NOW MERGED.

[PuckChaser]

Is there anything in "the books" stating I can not use chew?

I've never seen anything against it, especially if you're using a bottle and not leaving it out in the open so people don't have to see it. Far cleaner than smoking.

[Jim Seggie]

Like any other unit, the CO may make regulations regarding where and when you can chew. In 1985 or so the Commandant of CFRS Cornwallis decreed that no chewing tobacco was to be used in any CFRS building.
Personally I don't have an issue with chew but some people have issues with everything.

[recceguy]

If you have a situation where you wouldn't be chewing gum, don't use your chew.

There's bigger things to worry about.

[PJGary]

I have never seen anyone take any issue to/for chewing, minus 3 very obvious inappropriate times contrary to common courtesy.

-Someone in a class who spat so loud it sounded like a movie sound effect.
-Someone who left a nice present in a sink for the CSM on his walkaround of the lines (no chewing in building for a month).
-Someone on battle school who got caught with a lipper in during a drill class (I don't know his logic, I'm not a doctor).

I find it hard to imagine why someone who one was working with would have that big of a grievance with it if it was done discreetly and cleanly, but then again I'm kind of part of the problem on this issue *ptew*

 

[captloadie]

We used to have a policy on the airbus not to allow passengers to chew after one to many Flight Attendants reached into a seat back to clean it out and found either a water bottle half full of spit, or even worse, one of the paper cups leaking over the place.

I know some Scandinavian officers who use this brand of spitless chewing tobacco, more of a dip they keep tucked  into their cheek/lip area. They only spit it out when they are done.

[fireman1867]

1CAD Vol3

.  Use of Tobacco Products 

5. The use of tobacco products is forbidden on all 1 Cdn Air Div aircraft.  Use of tobacco includes the act of lighting, chewing, expectorating, or smoking a product containing tobacco.     

[shuban]

The harms of chewing tobacco is greater than smoking.

[Snaketnk]

Some units do have restrictions on chewing tobacco, unless its changed, 2 RCR isn't allowed chewing except in designated smoking areas.

In my section we had a policy of NO CLEAR SPITOONS because it's friggin gross to look at.

[Redeye]

We used to have a policy on the airbus not to allow passengers to chew after one to many Flight Attendants reached into a seat back to clean it out and found either a water bottle half full of spit, or even worse, one of the paper cups leaking over the place.

I know some Scandinavian officers who use this brand of spitless chewing tobacco, more of a dip they keep tucked  into their cheek/lip area. They only spit it out when they are done.

It's called Snus. You can't get it in Canada per se, but you can get it by mail order. I switched to it when I was quitting smoking. Interestingly, because of the way it's processed (steam curing) it's being studied with great interest by harm reduction types as it doesn't contain significant quantities of tobacco-specific nitrosamines that are generally fingered as the main carcinogenic agent in tobacco. It doesn't require spitting, as it doesn't generate hypersalivation like North American chewing tobaccos. I got it from a Swedish website, and in small orders never once did I get customs hassles.

Better, however, to just use one of the mainly aids available to break the nicotine addiction. It's better in the long run.

[VIChris]

Going to try some of this stuff soon:
http://www.dipstop.com/

I'll pass on a review when I get it.

[Redeye]

Going to try some of this stuff soon:
http://www.dipstop.com/

I'll pass on a review when I get it.

It's good. I used a mint "snuff" of a different type to wean myself off snus (sort of a three step process). It wasn't that kind but same idea.

Don't bother with the "Smokey Mountain" brand stuff you might see around. It's a sticky mess, not a good substitute.

[Larry Strong]

It's good. I used a mint "snuff" of a different type to wean myself off snus (sort of a three step process). It wasn't that kind but same idea.

Very similar to you, I used Copenhagen's Winter Green for a week and a half to quit smoking. I believe it kept the nicotine in my system yet broke my hands of the habit of lighting up. I was on a rig at the time and threw my tin out the window a mile from home, being a randy youngish buck at the time I knew SWMBO would not be receptive to a lip full...if you catch my drift

[HollywoodCowboy]

What is your unit policy on chewing tobacco? I'm getting rode hard over me chewing. Can't do it in the garage...nor the smoking area. And I use a bottle to spit. Civvies cried foul to the Sgt over me. And this my way of getting my fix without smoking.  Seems to me that if you are unionized in DND, you get to go on a whining campaign. I hate garrison!

Sorry for the vent,
It pisses me off even now.. pills or not.

Your thoughts?

What did your Sgt do?