The military's current education campaign is called “Quit Tobacco — Make Everyone Proud” and is helping active duty members to quit tobacco altogether. In 2005 the prevalence of smoking in 18 to 25 year olds on active duty was higher, at 42.4 percent, than civilians, at 37.6 percent, said a military health care press release. As many as 25 percent of this age group use smokeless tobacco, the release said.

Information about how to make a quit-tobacco plan is on the Web at www.ucanquit2.org.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, November 20, 2008.