Old enough to die, too young to drink

Ann, that will be the day the United States might just as well curl up and die. Believe me, for many infantrymen in combat, cigarettes make the difference between holding onto sanity and losing it. During WWII the ammo train (men) would bring many cartons of cigarettes forward every night. Without them I would not have survived. What will they tell them when the bullets are flying and shells exploding?: "Smoking is bad for your health." Don't look for it to happen anytime soon. You don't win wars with Boy Scouts.

Do they have something to take its place? Perhaps the soldier will be required to read a bible verse, especially the one that says, "Thou shalt not kill."
They're nuts.
Based on their thinking, it is okay to get killed but not to damage your health.

I think we have more important things to worry about.

The article claimed that smoking interfered with a soldier's ability to fight effectively. I would question that.

The thing that was the hardest for me about quitting smoking was the trouble I had focusing my thoughts. When I really needed to think something out, I would smoke. It is still the hardest time to work through, ten years later. At one point, I read an article that said that nicotine increased the amount of dopamine available to the frontal lobes, which was the reason many smokers felt they could think more sharply with a cigarette.

Ann

With Florida taxes, a name brand pack of cigarettes is $7.00. That's a pretty expensive way to relax since I read somewhere that the average smoker is two packs a day.

I don't know the price of beer and wine; but combined with cigarettes, there may be a more economical way to release stress.

There was a special on 20/20 about high priced prostitution and that ran $5000 and up; so that's a bit pricey.

The obesity rates in the country indicate many people turn to food; but that's killing them too.

I know people who use yoga and spiritual methods. One advantage is their cost: free.

There's always exercise.

A supportive group of family and friends is good.

My vice is chocolate and diet soda. I've chosen new driving routes to keep my car from turning into the wrong places; it's actually a relief not to have all that guilt from eating things that cause me harm.

Those are all great, DK, but are they available to the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Ann

I'm sure I won't win friends and influence others with my opinion in this arena, but here goes.

Oriental countries have used yoga, tai chi, karate, judo, and multitudes of ancient forms of marshal arts and body and mind control to fight wars. condition the mind and improve the intellect.

While no system is perfect for all, meditation has proven itself to benefit many. A friend of mine with cancer pain throughout her body had the choice to increase the morphine drip that was portable in her case or try something else. She went to a meditation clinic somewhere in Chicago. When she returned; she was able to take herself into a trance to get through the pain with less meds. The mind is a wonderful gift when trained for wellness.

I am not sufficiently disciplined to properly condition my mind and body. I did have a short period of time, however, when it was possible; and my life was so much easier!

Military service men and women are already disciplined. The addition of Eastern techniques for mind and body stress release is not a thought without merit. Instead we pass our addictive behaviors on to them.........

I know, they had Opiates and others - nothing is perfect.