All clear: Navy bans smoking inside submarines; all boats will carry nicotine patches, gum

No butts about it: Navy bans smoking on submarines

WASHINGTON — The Navy is banning smoking inside its submarines and will stock nicotine patches and gum on all boats to help sailors quit.

The new policy goes into effect no later than December 31 this year and was announced Thursday by Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, Commander of the Navy’s Submarine Forces.

He says the decision follows a yearlong study last year on nine submarines that showed unacceptable levels of second-hand smoke are present when the subs are submerged.

The new policy leaves allows individual sub commanders to decide whether they crews are permitted to smoke on deck while their sub is above water.