An Army spokeswoman said drug taking of any kind was not tolerated in the (UK) armed forces . .??

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7091878.stm
Seventeen soldiers will be dismissed from the Army after they tested positive for drugs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6083840.stm
A controversial drug which can keep people awake for days has been tested by the UK military, MPs have been told...The Ministry of Defence reportedly stockpiled thousands of pills ahead of the Iraq war but they have never been given to combat personnel.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1034&id=906322007
BRITISH troops are being prescribed with a controversial drug which has been blamed for making US pilots "trigger-happy" and causing friendly fire deaths.

The Ministry of Defence has admitted that it prescribes the amphetamine dexedrine, which is capable of keeping users awake for as long as 60 hours.


Does this mean a LOT more Army dismissals?

I KNOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A&B Drugs.

The MoD OPERATIVE words "Drug taking of ANY kind was NOT TOLERATED in the Army.."

What's the alternative?

Drugs are cheaper for the cannon fodder as far as the Mod APPEAR to be condoning, compared with better man-management... proper rest periods for starters.. which means MORE troops on the ground..

That, unfortunately adds to the overheads and depletes the coffers.. cheaper to give out the drugs I guess..

Answer 1

yep, see what your saying there. so basically, its ok to take amphetamine if its for the army's benefit, but not for recreational use?! cool! coke use if rife, as are steroids. and not just in the army, throughout all the forces.

edit, ampetamine in any form isnt safe. i agree, proper rest periods and better turn around of troops on the ground would give the same response. they cant do it cos the man power just isnt there.

Answer 2

The mod is refering to recreational drugs, ie cannabis, acid, ecstacy cocaine etc etc
the army has a drug test called the C.D.T Complusory drug test, which is monitored. So when we all here of soldiers being dismissed its mainly because of these type of drugs,
only recently the army stated that because a change in society and more youngester taking drugs, its going to look at rehab instead of kicking them out.
The drugs the army are looking to prescribe soldiers are if you want the truth, very similar to the so called illegal ones most people have taken, they are proberly more pure and contain a less strength substance but if honest all amphetamine drugs are similar, ie what does speed, and wizz do for you?? it keeps you up all night, so do we really think the army version is so different,??? i think not,
its one of those topics the army cant deal with, and doesnt know how to, it needs a re-think head to toe about its policies and wether or not it wants to address the problem or keep denying it. I tell you soldiers take drugs just like any other proffession, we (being ex reg) drink far more as well, if you took 1000 bin men and 1000 soldiers asked who has taken drugs or been around them etc, bet my life the army would be a higher number than them and most other occupations

Answer 3

There has been a zero tolerence towards drugs within the U.K armed forces since around 1992. Random drug testing is routine and the policy is heavily enforced. Dismissal is the standard route for those proven to be guilty. 2 samples are taken and if one shows a positive result the other is provided to the accused for an independant test to be done.

Drug taking in the military is not accepted for a few rather important reasons. Firstly your fighting buddy has your back in battle, what if he has a flashback and is rendered useless at the wrong time. Or worse still he is driving a submarine at 2am when you are asleep and has an episode.

Essentially drugs dull the brains ability to function at a higher level required in some critical situations. If your buddy is an active drug taker and he is your wingman, shop the idiot because failure to do so puts you, them and everyone who relies on them at mortal peril.

Drugged up soldiers on Patrol are dangerous.

Answer 4

Governments can pass as many rules, regulations and laws as they see fit to. One thing they cannot do is get on top of the drugs abuse problem, both in the military and here in the civilian pop at large.

Look at it like this. Back in the middle ages here in England a man could be publicly castrated for forging the king's coins. People forged coins. People got away with it. Most probably some innocent schmuck got castrated by mistake.

No matter how severe the punishment for whatever the crime, people will continue to commit crime- there's big money in it, especially in drugs. When enough people get addicted to a drug, the drug barrons supply the fix at a price and so it goes.

Answer 5

I think there is a difference between leisure pharmaceuticals and drugs taken for operational purposes. however I do distrust the MOD and we have only to go back to the hidden and not admitted casualties in the first Gulf War in respect of the "informed" decision made by troops to take certain drugs to protect them which then later on ruined and /or shortened their lives. The guidance was given by fairly junior officers who in fact knew no more than they were told by the MOD

Answer 6

Trouble is how do you identify a drug user in todays HM Forces. It's well known that those returning from deployment in Afghanistan have opium present in their system from over exposure - are they classed as users??

We now have a softly softly approach from the police and courts regarding drug use amongst civilians.

We then have a top copper suggesting all drugs be legalised whilst HM Forces die in Helmand in the "war against drugs" which began 2 years ago amid high political advertising from New Labour.

It appears there is one law for the muppets in society and another for HM Forces - again!!

Answer 7

The last thing the forces need is people taking any drugs-
they are known to impair judgement , cause addiction & lead to mistakes. Yes they,mod,may be contradicting themselves by issuing drugs-shame on them if thats the case-no doubt legal action will be taken against them at a later date.

Answer 8

you're in the realm of the unknown here, a government conspiracy with drug trials? I would leave well alone, like the matrix probably better to take the blue pill

Answer 9

pilots have been taking "go pills" for a long time,
same as a lot of other service members!!!!

its like "dont ask, dont tell"!!!
same as the old school truckers across America who had to drive an outragouse amount of miles a month to keep the customers happy!!!

and yes they do make ya "trigger happy"!!

Answer 10

I think its absolutly wrong to give soldiers or pilots andy drugs including drugs that can make you awake for long.