Drugs In The Military

747 Words3 Pages
Drug Use In The Military In the United States military, drug abuse is defined as the wrongful use,possession,distribution, or introduction onto a military installation of a controlled substance. In 1898 the United States military aquired control in the Vietnam War,as the war continued, social problems flowed heavy. The military and the civilian population mingled together and the American soldiers learned to smoke opium. The next time the American soldiers fought to suppress the guerrillas, in Vietnam, the use of drugs reached epidemic proportions. In the modern United States military,the use of drugs became recognized as a problem in the late 1960's and early 70's. About 20% of Vietnam veterans reported having narcotics on a weekly basis and 20% were considered to be addicted based on symptoms of dependence. American soldiers continued to use drugs and the type of drugs changed over the years. During that time period, American soldiers was discharged from the military because of their habitual drug use. Drugs in the military is a risk to the United States national security because it reduce the readiness of our soldier's. Drugs have a negative effect on the well-being of military personnel and it have destructive effects as well. The use of drugs undermine authority and the strict order that is given for military productivity. Drug use in the military is a serious problem,over the years, general abuse levels declined across all branches of the United States military. In the modern time, recent numbers indicate that the problem is once reaching epic proportions.Drug use have been used by soldiers to reduce pain,reduce fatigue and increase alertness, or to help them deal with boredom or panic that come along with battle. Prescription drugs is abused in the military as well. In 2008, the military doctor's wrote approximately 3.8 million prescriptions for pain
Open Document