Hundreds of British army personnel are dismissed for failing drugs tests each year, FOI finds

Hundreds of British soldiers are dismissed each year after failing drugs tests, according to a Guardian investigation.

Data from the Ministry of Defence shows that around 660 army personnel were sacked last year when they tested positive for drugs, in most cases cocaine, in compulsory tests (CDTs).

The Freedom of Information request showed that the year before saw approximately 630 dismissals and in 2017 there were 580 personnel fired.

Cannabis, ecstasy, ketamine and steroids were also found in several tests.

The army has stated that they do not tolerate drug use, it is understood that if the wider society holds a similar issue with drugs then organisations within that society, the army included, will reflect that.

Although, it was revealed by a former soldier that army personnel often take drugs to manage the stress that their work causes while others simply enjoy the high.

In other cases, it has been shown that soldiers take the drugs in order to fail the compulsory tests purposefully. That way, they can be discharged rather than spend a year of service after they quit.