Proposed marijuana waivers acknowledge blunt recruiting truths
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want to remove a barrier to joining the U.S. military.
LAUREN C. WILLIAMS | JULY 11, 2023 09:16 PM ET
CONGRESS PERSONNEL ARMY NAVY MARINE CORPS AIR FORCE SPACE FORCE
As the military services struggle to meet recruiting goals, lawmakers in the divided House seem united on a proposed fix: relaxing the Pentagon’s policies on marijuana use.
“I do not believe we should be testing for cannabis [in] people who want to join the military,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told the House Rules Committee during a hearing on Tuesday. “We should be thinking about cannabis more in terms of alcohol.”
Gaetz testified in support of his amendment that would ban drug testing for marijuana as a condition of enlistment or to become a commissioned officer.
“We are having a recruiting crisis,” he said, noting that many “people use cannabis under the color of state law.” So far, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2023/07/proposed-marijuana-waivers-acknowledge-blunt-recruiting-truths/388401/