Smokeless nicotine products are being used as a "bridge" to quitting cigarettes for former and current members of the military, who have an entrenched culture of tobacco use. The use of these products is being investigated as a means of preventing individuals from accessing the most toxic part of the tobacco experience. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs Stephen Ferrara estimated that about 30 percent of U.S. service members use tobacco products, which he said is about twice the rate of use in comparison to the general population. In 2018, 37.8 percent of active-duty service members said they had used tobacco or nicotine products.