NCJ Number
141729
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 259-265
Date Published
1993
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Urine samples collected from Air Force and Army service members stationed in Europe are routinely tested for drugs using radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). This study describes the trend in drug use among U.S. military personnel between 1985 and 1991, based on these urinalysis results.
Abstract
The overall positive rate for the reporting period showed minimal impact from the modifications to the testing menus implemented throughout the years. Despite a fairly constant number of samples, the proportion of samples that tested positive for drugs decreased from 4.67 percent in 1985 to 0.69 percent in 1991. The findings showed that marijuana was the most commonly abused drug of those tested during this time period in the European Theater. Cocaine use was recorded at less than 0.1 percent for the entire period; it also appears that barbiturates are not widely used among American servicemen in Europe. The authors conclude that the U.S. Army policy against illicit drug use is having a positive deterrent affect by reducing the use and abuse of drugs within the military. 4 figures and 18 references