"Willful Misconduct": How the US government prevented tobacco-disabled veterans from obtaining disability pensions

N. Offen, E.A. Smith and R.E. Malone

American Journal of Public Health, 2010, vol. 100, issue 7, 1166-1173

Abstract: In this descriptive case study, we analyze the unsuccessful struggle to access disability pensions by veterans sickened by tobacco use begun during service. Drawing on tobacco industry documents and other material, we show how the US government, tobacco industry, and veterans' organizations each took inconsistent positions to protect their interests. Congress and Department of Veterans Affairs leadership, concerned about costs, characterized veterans' smoking as "willful misconduct," thereby contradicting the government's position in a federal lawsuit that tobacco companies addicted smokers. Veterans' groups supported the pensions, despite previously defending smoking as a "right." The tobacco industry wavered, fearing liability. Securing pensions was complicated by the notion that smoking is primarily a personal choice. The US government should compensate veterans fairly and should abolish military practices that encourage tobacco addiction.

Date: 2010
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2009.179846

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2009.179846_7

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.179846

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().