title: "It's not a priority when we're in combat": public health professionals and military tobacco control policy.
abstract: Tobacco use is prevalent among service members, but civilian public health groups have not effectively addressed military tobacco control policy issues. We conducted focus groups in 2010 and 2012 with participants from public health and tobacco control organizations regarding their understanding of the military and of tobacco use in that context. Misperceptions were common. Military personnel were believed to be young, from marginalized populations, and motivated to join by lack of other options. Tobacco use was considered integral to military life; participants were sometimes reluctant to endorse stronger tobacco control policies than those applied to civilians, although some believed the military could be a social policy leader. Engaging public health professionals as effective partners in tobacco-free military efforts may require education about and reframing of military service and tobacco control policy.
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Quinn
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Grundy
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Malone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010465:Perception; D011634:Public Health; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*