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Army dismissing 'battalion a year' through drugs (Roundup)

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Dec 14, 2007, 13:47 GMT

(M&C) - The British army is losing the equivalent of a battalion a year through troops testing positive to illegal drugs a report revealed today. Afghan National Army and NATO troops prepare to launch military operation in Panjwaye district of troubled Kandahar province in Afghanistan 10 December 2007. EPA/HUMAYOUN SHIAB

Afghan National Army and NATO troops prepare to launch military operation in Panjwaye district of troubled Kandahar province in Afghanistan 10 December 2007. EPA/HUMAYOUN SHIABThe numbers of soldiers testing positive under compulsory drug testing (CDT) has risen from from 517 in 2003 to 769 last year.The numbers discharged from the army are more than the fatalities and casualties of Iraq and Afghanistan says figures produced by the Royal United Services Institute.Christianne Tipping, head of the institute's defence leadership and management programme, says in a separate publication,"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."However a MoD spokesman said the illegal drug problem in the services was not widespread citing figures which show "Positive rates in the army over the last four years average around 0.77%, compared with more than 7% in civilian workplace drug testing."The army tests around 85 percent of its staff each year.Update: The officer in charge of Army discipline, Colonel John Donnelly, has said the increased level of illegal drug use may be linked to combat stress.Speaking to BBC Radio, Colonel Donnelly said, "Cocaine is more available and, certainly for our soldiers, it is becoming increasingly the drug of choice." Linking combat deployment and the drug use he added: "The effects on the mind following demanding operations are well known. They manifest themselves in a number of areas and drugs maybe one of them."

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waine UKDec 14th, 2007 - 17:27:07

I suppose these squadies have to take drugs to deaden the pain of seeing civillians slaughtered in their socalled war on terrorism, it's one way of getting out of the mess Bush and Blair got them into.

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Tonny from BelgiumDec 16th, 2007 - 01:58:36

How is it Bush's fault that UK soldiers are dope heads? It seems to me that perhaps the British could assume some responsibility for this one.

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