NCJ Number
179579
Journal
American Journal of Public Health Volume: 89 Issue: 5 Dated: May 1999 Pages: 672-677
Date Published
1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Drug use among young, active-duty military recruits was studied both before and after their enlistment and in comparison with nonmilitary youths of the same age.
Abstract
The research also examined historical shifts in the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs across two decades, given that the military established zero-tolerance policies concerning illicit drug use in 1980 and later developed policies to discourage tobacco and alcohol abuse. The analyses used longitudinal panel data from 20 nationally representative samples of high school seniors in cohorts from the years 1976-95. Each group was surveyed just before graduation and again within 2 years. Separate analyses for the 12,082 men and the 15,345 women contrasted those who entered military service, college, and civilian employment. Illicit drug use declined more among young military recruits than among their civilian counterparts. Analyses of male recruits at multiple time periods revealed: (1) declines in the prevalence of marijuana use and cocaine use after the initiation of routine military drug testing, and (2) lower proportions of smokers of half a pack or more of cigarettes per day who entered service after the initiation of tobacco bans during basic training. Recent military drug policies appeared to deter illicit drug use among enlistees and to discourage some smokers from enlisting. Figures, table, and 27 references (Author abstract modified)