Is it Time for the MoD to Review its Drugs Policy? A Response to Professor Bird's Findings
Dec 2007, Vol. 152, No. 6
By Christianne Tipping
Drug abuse in the Armed Forces is a live issue at present.
The hard line policy on drugs has served the MoD well to date. CDT exists to deter rather than to try to catch every single person who might engage in occasional drug use and it appears to have acted as an effective deterrent to date. It also helps to maintain operational effectiveness and reduce possible security risks. However, the recent increase in positive test results, the more stressful nature of today’s military operations, the manning shortfalls, the possibility of future retention problems and the difficulty of recruiting to certain trades are good reasons for re-examining the present policy. The MoD needs to be sure that its near zero tolerance approach still constitutes the best way of managing the problem of drug abuse in the Armed Forces.
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By Christianne Tipping
Drug abuse in the Armed Forces is a live issue at present.
The hard line policy on drugs has served the MoD well to date. CDT exists to deter rather than to try to catch every single person who might engage in occasional drug use and it appears to have acted as an effective deterrent to date. It also helps to maintain operational effectiveness and reduce possible security risks. However, the recent increase in positive test results, the more stressful nature of today’s military operations, the manning shortfalls, the possibility of future retention problems and the difficulty of recruiting to certain trades are good reasons for re-examining the present policy. The MoD needs to be sure that its near zero tolerance approach still constitutes the best way of managing the problem of drug abuse in the Armed Forces.
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