Honoring Veterans & Military Families with Support for Tobacco/Nicotine Use

Mariposa Coalition
Nov 3
3 min read

With Veteran’s Day 2025 around the corner, our members from the Mariposa County Tobacco Education Program would like to shine a light on the history and impact of tobacco and nicotine products on our veterans.

HISTORY

Tobacco companies have targeted our military communities and veterans for over a century. They’ve worked hard to link their products with military service. Dating back to World War 1, tobacco has been provided along with rations. Since then, from handing out free cigarettes to the troops during wartime, to sponsoring events on military bases, young service members have been a favorite target of the tobacco industry.

Until 2017, the tobacco industry offered reduced, discounted pricing for military stores to encourage and promote tobacco use among service members, ensuring they could afford to come back for more. In 2017, a policy was passed to require military stores to match local community prices.

This targeted marketing has resulted in tobacco and nicotine addiction becoming a part of everyday life for many veterans and military members.

QUITTING

Fortunately, there are nicotine quit services to help members of the military and veterans to kick the addiction to nicotine.

SmokefreeVet: text messaging program that provides 24/7 support to help military Veterans quit tobacco for good.
Quit Vet: free telephone quitline, 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838), offers tobacco cessation counseling to any Veteran who receives their health care through VA.
Operation Tobacco-Free Marine: a tobacco cessation program that was developed to provide the Marine Corps community with the first of its kind, evidence-based tools to help tobacco users quit successfully.
Kick It California: a free quit program that helps Californians quit tobacco and nicotine with customized one-on-one coaching that is grounded in science.
EX Program: science-backed, 24/7 support service that offers expert advice, connection with other quitters in the EX Community, and tools to personalize experience and track progress.

MENTAL HEALTH & STRESS-MANAGEMENT TIPS

Veterans often experience high levels of stress that impact their mental health and well-being. Here are some ways to manage stress that do not involve nicotine or tobacco.

Meditation and deep breathing
Count the blessings. Remind yourself of the things you’re grateful for.
A balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Support network. Strong connections with fellow service members, family, and friends.
Avoid nicotine and tobacco. Limit alcohol intake.

Utilize military support programs like these free resources below. These are available to military members and veterans to help them navigate stress and mental health challenges.

Military OneSource: a support service for military personnel and their families.
Veteran Health Care Facilities: Call or visit any VA medical center or VA Center—anytime, day or night.
Veterans Crisis Line: a private and free service available 24/7 for veterans.
- Text 838255, or
- Call 988 and Select 1.
- Start a confidential chat.
- For TTY, call 711 then 988.

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Contact the Tobacco Education Program at TobaccoEducation@MariposaCounty.org

Thanks to our friends at TECC (Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California), a project of ETR (Education. Training. Research.)