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UK: Don't weed out army drug takers Adam Docherty Sunday Post Sunday 22 Apr 2007 That's the controversial suggestion by Clive Fairweather, a former SAS second-in-command who was in charge of the training of Scotland's infantry recruits. It comes in the wake of figures released by the MoD indicating the number of men and women sacked from the services in the last year is the equivalent of losing one infantry battalion. The 575 sackings are also more than three times the number of British soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. And while our forces are stretched trying to fight these two wars, more than 5300 personnel, most from the Army, have been dismissed since 2001. That's equivalent of nine, fully-manned infantry battalions. The forces use random compulsory drug tests to find traces of banned narcotics in blood or urine samples. But when the Army in particular is struggling to recruit and retain soldiers, the scale of drug misuse has prompted some to challenge the zero tolerance approach adopted by military authorities. Mr Fairweather says he can see a time soon when senior commanders may be forced to change their rigid policies. "I admire the stance the services have taken over drugs, " he admitted last night. "But I can't see how they can recruit from today's changing society and keep enough soldiers to meet growing commitments while almost automatically rejecting those involved with drugs. "The key criterion must be whether the individual can carry out his or her job - which in the services means being able to handle weapons safely and fight. "When I was in charge of recruit training 20 years ago the drug problem was pretty small. The bigger problem was alcohol. Yet our approach was if an individual rendered himself unfit through drink, after sobering up he was punished but then returned to duty. "As we now know, the problem across society no longer just involves excess alcohol. Now it comes with recreational drug-taking as well. "In a few short years it's become rife across virtually every area, and where the armed forces traditionally recruit. I would urge officers in the military to at least start rethinking their attitudes, if they are not to find themselves in the position of having fewer and fewer troops to carry out ever more vital tasks. "I'm not saying the forces should be full of junkies or addled individuals on methadone maintenance - but attitudes to taking mainly recreational Class B and C drugs may have to become far more flexible. The motto of the RAF Parachute Training School is 'Knowledge dispels fear'. If officers were educated about drugs they'd be less fearful." An MoD spokesman said, "The Army does not tolerate drug abuse within its ranks as it is incompatible with military service and operational effectiveness. "Individuals who test positive for drugs are normally discharged. Soldiers of the rank of lance corporal and equivalent and below may be retained in exceptional circumstances."
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