Canada: Military Drug Test Watered Down Literally

[Binky]

MILITARY DRUG TEST WATERED DOWN ... LITERALLY

Soldiers training to go to Afghanistan who provided diluted urine samples in drug tests last fall were given a second chance to pee in a cup because the military had water bottles on hand during the screening procedure.

Thirty-eight of the 1,436 troops initially tested gave diluted samples, according to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. Another 72 soldiers tested positive in September for illicit drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and codeine.

"While the initial intent had been to treat the diluted results ( in accordance with ) the same ( administrative review ) process as positive results, it has been determined that bottles of water were provided to members waiting for their testing, thus contributing to the number of diluted samples," Cmdr. Tony Crewe, the military's director of careers administration, said in an Oct. 20 e-mail to a Defence Department policy adviser.

"To ensure that members who might otherwise have tested negative are not unduly restricted from deploying, it has been decided that these members will be retested. The probability of an illicit drug user testing negative on the second test and thus avoiding the ( administrative review ) process is seen as low compared to the probability of denying deployment to non-users who had diluted results."

Too much drinking water isn't the only reason people provide diluted urine samples.

"A diluted result may indicate that an individual has ingested masking agents in an attempt to hide evidence of illicit drug use," say military documents.

"In most cases, these members will be retested."

The bulk of the soldiers heading to Afghanistan next month were tested Sept. 25 and 26 at New Brunswick's CFB Gagetown.

Retesting those who gave diluted urine samples was scheduled for Oct. 18, more than three weeks later. If a person stopped using drugs, that would be enough time to flush any traces of marijuana, cocaine or codeine from their urine, said Harold Kalant, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto's pharmacology department.

"The drugs would be out by then - long out," he said Tuesday.

If soldiers who had used drugs suspected they would be tested a second time, they might have been more cautious about using them again until they were safely over the second test, said Mr. Kalant, an international authority on alcohol and drug dependence.

Five admitted to using drugs after their first test results showed their urine was diluted, said Cmdr. Denise Laviolette, chief of public affairs at military personnel.

Four soldiers failed the second test and three provided diluted urine samples again, Cmdr. Laviolette said Tuesday.

Those 12 soldiers will not be heading to Afghanistan.

But the remaining 26 soldiers who gave diluted samples in September passed the second drug test in October.

"Conceivably, then, they were not dirty in the first place or, if they were, they were concerned enough to stay off the drugs until the tests were repeated," Mr. Kalant said.

The delay between the first and second tests was due to the large number of people going through the process, Cmdr. Laviolette said. The military also wanted to surprise soldiers with the second test, she said.

"Is it possible that somebody who was taking illicit drugs ended up being deployed? I can't say no, because it is possible," Cmdr. Laviolette said. "But we do everything we can to prevent that from happening."

Soldiers could face "surprise testing" once they reach Afghanistan, she said.

"There's nothing that says they can't do it in theatre. It would be a little bit of an administrative or logistics nightmare but the commanding officer . has the authority to test folks."

Military documents show the head of the army had wanted soldiers who failed drug tests or provided diluted samples "released quickly to send a message to all that usage of illicit drugs will not be tolerated."

But military administrators advised him not to rush the process. "We have a long-standing practice of attempting to rehabilitate first-time users of soft drugs," Cmdr. Crewe wrote in his Oct. 20 e-mail.

The troops who were tested last fall are slated to be part of Canada's task force in Afghanistan next month. About 1,160 are based in Atlantic Canada.

Of those who flunked the drug tests last fall, documents show 79 per cent tested positive for marijuana, 11 per cent had cocaine in their systems, five per cent tested positive for codeine, and five per cent had both marijuana and cocaine in their urine.

Of about 2,500 soldiers training to go to Afghanistan for the next six months, a total of 88 tested positive for illicit drug use.

Unless they had a legitimate prescription for codeine, those soldiers, as well as the five who admitted to taking drugs, won't be making the trip to Afghanistan because they are undergoing an administrative review.

Disciplinary action can range from counselling and probation to release from the Forces.

2007 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact: letters@herald.ca
Website: http://thechronicleherald.ca/

[neutrino99]

I really don't feel like exposing my entire personal life in the forum here but this is a subject that is keenly personal to me right now.

My spouse has been in the Canadian Forces for over 10 years now. He is a good soldier that gets regular promotions and trains other incoming soldiers. There has never been a stain on his performance record. He is liked at his unit and by those that work with him and have been trained by him. He always sets an example of good condcut even when he doesn't agree with the rules because that is just part of being a good soldier.

my spouse does not use THC. I cannot say he has never tried it because he did when he could not understand my medicinal use. When he was on leave from the Army and working a civilian job he tried it with me a few times and pretty much decided though it was nice, he can't do it in the Army. He rarely drinks or takes any drugs other than Ibuprofen for his back pain. There was one occasion shortly before he left for Gagetown where I had just joined TCC and bought some medicated chocolate. He ate some of this before I got home to tell him what it was. It was only a few pieces. He thought it tasted funny and never finished it. This was more than 4 weeks before being tested. He is always in my company as well. Until I was able to afford a Vapourizor I smoked in his presence constantly.

The Army signed him up to go to Afghanistan. Rushing orders he was in Gagetown 5 days from the time he signed. In that time he had to quit his full time job of three years (that had benefits for me too), get a physical, get a dental record verification, get a power of attourney and a will made out, say good bye to his family and decide where he would like to be buried if he died over there.

He spent over a thousand dollars getting his luggage to and from Gagetown for his training. There was never a mention of this test or he could have told them up front that I use and he might test positive. If he had known he would have done the test before quitting his job and before signing the contract with the Army.

The end of the day HE DOES NOT USE MARIJUANNA OR DRUGS OF ANY KIND.
Anyone at the New Years party could attest to that. He even left with Marco's girlfriend to get a pitcher cause they felt a little left out of our festivities. He almost ate medicated food that night too. It is hard to see goodies all around and remember that they have "stuff" in it.

He tested positive for THC. We really have no idea why. The Army doesn't care. He offered to give a second test and asked to have his first sample re-tested by gas chromotography to rule out Ibuprofen. The Army refused. They sent him for a "Medical Review" where the Doctor was to determine if he was a "dependant user" or had a "problem" or would be a "danger to his unit". This doctor was supposed to question him about his attitudes toward drug use and his previous contact with drugs and then make a reccomendation based on that. It was an execution. When he walked into the room she was already writing on the form to reccomend him for Rehabiliation at CFB Borden and putting him on restricted duty for 6 months and cancelling his full time contract to Afghanistan. He tried to tell her about me and her callous remarks included (but not limited to) "I don't care what she has there are REAL drugs for every condition......I don't care if she is dying, if you don't leave this woman your Military career will be down the TUBES!" He said her attitude was angry, accusatory and confrontational. She clearly has no compassion for the myraid of medical conditions I endure.
What this all means is....he had his contract cancelled. They even BACK DATED IT TO JAN 15th though he worked till Monday the 22nd. How they can NOT pay him is beyond me. So now they have left him unemployed with no drug coverage for either me or himself and having to participate in a rehab program that will likely preclude him from ever getting the job he wanted as a police officer or jail guard. This was all to help him. How does no job and no income with a disabled wife HELP THIS SOLDIER?????? I ask you what is wrong with a world that cares if a man did or did not use marijuanna when he wants to stand up for his country and fight? We need soldiers so why persecute the innocent?

The Canadian Forces should be ashamed of themselves for destroying the career and life of a long time loyal soldier and for taking away the closeness we once had. He looks at me with blame in his eyes everyday and I think, though we have been together 6.5 years we are not going to make it through this. He has started not beleiving my pain and asking me not to medicate and leaving the room if I try. Our relationship is going down the tubes and he is all I have. Thank you Army. The Canadian Forces can go fuck themselves. They are NOT AN INSTITUTION TO BE PROUD TO SERVE. I am disgusted that they are an entity onto themselves with no one to anwser to as they destroy lives of those who serve them and their family.