Organizations Serving Military Service Members and Veterans
Studies indicate that military service members and veterans are more likely than civilians to smoke cigarettes. Smoking is even more common for military service members who have been deployed overseas.
Smoking increases the risk for lung cancer, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and many other diseases. Now is the time to promote smoking cessation to military service members and veterans. You can help military members and veterans by showing them how smoking affects them and other groups in their communities. With the support of free federal materials, you can help more military members and veterans live tobacco-free lives!
Organizations that provide services to military members and their families may need to tailor their resources to help them quit smoking. Learn more about smoking cessation resources for military members and veterans, as well as the additional resources below.
Visit our How to Quit Smoking page, featuring a Quit Guide.
Call a quitline. Trained quitline coaches can answer questions, help develop a quit plan, and provide support.
- English: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
- Spanish: 1-855-DÉJELO-YA(1-855-335-3569)
- Military veterans with health insurance through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838)
For free help quitting smoking through mobile text messages, text QUITNOW to 333888.
For free help quitting smokeless tobacco: text “SPIT” to 333888.
For help quitting e-cigarettes: This Is Quitting.
Active duty military members, veterans, and their families can access cessation counseling, cessation medicines, and other services through their TRICARE coverage, Defense Department programs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
- TRICARE:
- Tobacco Cessation
TRICARE is dedicated to helping users quit tobacco and live a healthier life!
- Tobacco Cessation
- YouCanQuit2, including:
- 24/7 Live Chat for tips and support on how to quit tobacco and stay quit.
- Learn more about the campaign.
- Air Force:
- Tobacco-free Living
For information on the health risks of tobacco use and resources on how to stop using it or avoid starting, please visit our related links.
- Tobacco-free Living
- Army Public Health Center:
- Tobacco-Free Living Toolkit
Tobacco-free living benefits soldiers by giving them an opportunity to maintain a healthier lifestyle, decrease the health risks associated with tobacco use, and make them better able to perform their mission.
- Tobacco-Free Living Toolkit
- Coast Guard:
- Coast Guard Tobacco Cessation Program
Within the Coast Guard, tobacco slows operational readiness by decreasing lung capacity and impairing an individual’s ability to maintain an enhanced level of performance.
- Coast Guard Tobacco Cessation Program
- Marine Corps:
- Tobacco Cessation
Find more information on tobacco cessation in the Marine Corps.
- Tobacco Cessation
- Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center:
- Tobacco Free Living
The Health Promotion and Wellness department offers effective cessation resources to help tobacco users learn about the harmful effects of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure and to win the battle against tobacco use.
- Tobacco Free Living
Learn the real stories of military service members and veterans featured in the Tips campaign who are suffering from smoking-related diseases and disabilities. Encourage members of your community to start a conversation about their stories. Encourage them to quit smoking for good.
The Tips From Former Smokers® Military Service Members & Veterans Media Outreach Kit can be used to help active duty military members, veterans, and their families quit cigarette smoking and tobacco use.
- Smoking Among Military Service Members & Veterans Fact Sheet [PDF – 3 MB]
- Media Outreach Materials (press release templates, ads, biographies, video clips, social media content)
Meet Beatrice R. Beatrice, age 40, lives in New York and formerly served in the U.S. Navy. She began smoking regularly at age 13. A mother of two, Beatrice quit smoking in 2010 because she wanted to be around for her family.
Meet Brian H. Brian lived in Texas and started smoking at age 8. He had a heart attack at age 35, was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and had bypass surgery, a heart transplant, lung cancer, and part of his lung removed due to smoking. Brian died in 2022 at age 68 after suffering from smoking-related health problems for more than 30 years.
Meet James F. James, age 48, lives in New York and began smoking at age 14. He quit smoking in 2010 to reduce his risk for health problems and now bikes 10 miles every day.
Meet Mark A. Mark, age 47, lives in California and started smoking as a teenager. He continued smoking during military service in the Persian Gulf and in civilian life until he developed rectal cancer at age 42.
Meet Michael P. Michael lived in Alaska and began smoking at age 9. At 44, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which makes it harder and harder to breathe and can cause death. Michael died in 2020 at age 64.
Meet Nathan M. Nathan, a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe, lived in Idaho. Exposure to secondhand smoke at work triggered asthma attacks so severe he had to leave his job. Lung damage led to his death in October 2013 at age 54.
Meet Roosevelt S. Roosevelt, age 51, lives in Virginia and began smoking in his teens. At age 45, he had a heart attack. Doctors later placed stents in his heart and performed six bypasses.
