Pubdate: Mon, 22 Dec 2014
Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.guelphmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418
Author: Alison Auld
Page: A6
Referenced: Pot still drug of choice in army: report: 
http://mapinc.org/url/8a85lABV

POT STILL PREFERRED DRUG IN THE CANADIAN ARMY

About 94 Per Cent of Soldiers Showed Clean in Testing

HALIFAX - Marijuana remains the drug of choice for members of the 
Canadian army, based on the Force's latest blind drug testing report 
that also found cocaine is gaining popularity among some members.

The report, done between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013, found the overall 
drug consumption rate has been relatively stable since 2010 but 
suggested young, non-commissioned members were more prone to do drugs.

The findings, contained in a 42-page report obtained by The Canadian 
Press under the Access to Information Act, included testing for 11 
controlled substances at 26 Armed Forces units across the country. 
There were 4,198 participants from most ranks and age groups.

The testing found that 279 urine specimens - or 6.6 per cent - tested 
positive for at least one drug - or that about 96 per cent were drug 
free. Pot was detected in 5.3 per cent of all of the samples. That's 
up from the 4.2 per cent in 2012 and 4.8 per cent the year before that.

Positive test results for marijuana came from 19 units, with the bulk 
from 3 Royal Canadian Regiment and 2 Service Battalion in Petawawa, Ont.

The report says nine units had cocaine-positive samples, with the 
most from members in 3 Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa.

Results showed 44 samples overall had traces of cocaine, up from the 
29 positive samples the previous year, making it one of the higher 
rates since the testing started in 2007.

While the numbers were considered low, members of the psychosocial 
health dynamics team who wrote the report said there was a higher 
likelihood that members tested positive for cocaine in 2013 than in 2009.

"There was a significant difference for the proportion of cocaine 
positive samples, such that 2013 blind drug testing participants were 
significantly more likely to test positive for cocaine than those 
tested in 2009," the report states.

The results found that drug use is significantly more likely to occur 
among junior non-commissioned members aged 27 years or younger.

The document offers no reasons for the perceived increase, but 
cautions that the most recent samples were more likely than those in 
2009, 2011 and 2012 to be rejected because of a flaw.

It said eight units had samples that tested negative for drugs, but 
were found to be diluted.

"The units identified in the present analysis as having the highest 
proportion of positive tests may provide the army with locations to 
target drug intervention efforts," the report states.

"Because younger and low ranking members had higher drug use rates, 
it might also be beneficial to focus those interventions on these populations."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom