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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Drug Taking On Increase In Armed Forces
Guardian, The
Thursday 16 Nov 2000 Website: http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/guardian/ Author: Richard Norton-Taylor DRUG TAKING ON INCREASE IN ARMED FORCES Drug taking in the armed forces is at a record level, according to the Ministry of Defence. Five hundred and eighty soldiers, 41 sailors, and 14 RAF personnel were tested positive for controlled drugs between January and October this year. Respective figures for the whole of last year - which were also up on 1998 - were 485, 33, and 10. Of the army's total trained strength of 96,110, 0.26% were tested positive for cannabis, 0.04 % for cocaine, and 0.1% for other controlled substances - ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, or other performance enhancing drugs, Jim Spellar, the armed forces minister, told Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, yesterday. Figures for the navy were respectively 0.4%, 0.01%, and 0.03% of a total strength of 38,198, and 0.08%, 0.03%, and 0.03% for the RAF whose personnel totals 50,255. "We all know that armed forces personnel are under increasing strain," said Mr Keetch. "While still small, these figures show a worrying trend and should serve as a warning sign that we hope and believe the government will take seriously." Save in exceptional cases, a positive random test result, or the refusal to provide a specimen, will lead to army and RAF officers being required to resign and to administrative discharge in the case of an RN officer, said Mr Spellar. Soldiers, ratings, and airmen would normally be administratively discharged, he said. Personnel of the rank of lance corporal or equivalent and below may be retained in exceptional circumstances.
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