(WASHINGTON, DC) – This weekend, the House and Senate jointly agreed to cut a controversial provision prohibiting marijuana testing for military recruits out of the National Defense Authorization Act. After the House included the ban, led by former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) worked to neutralize the language in the Senate version. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) successfully inserted a provision mandating recruits be evaluated for controlled substance use prior to enlistment. The Senate pushback was effective, resulting in the Gaetz provision being nixed from the final agreement.
The marijuana testing ban was notably opposed by seven veterans, including two Major Generals, in an opinion piece published last May.
“Congress acted in the best interests of our country’s national defense by supporting continued THC testing for military recruits,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of SAM Action. “Permitting illegal drug use among military recruits to boost enlistment numbers trades one problem for another. Today’s highly potent THC drugs lead many users to suffer from significant mental and physical health issues, including marijuana-induced psychosis. The last thing we need is a drugged fighting force that is unable to respond to the threats posing our nation.”