Report: Pot use among soldiers down in Colorado, Washington, despite legalization

Despite the U.S. Army’s worst fears, fewer soldiers are actually testing positive for marijuana in two states where recreational use of the drug is legal, a new Army study found.

The legalization of pot in Washington and Colorado had military leaders worried about its impact on the Army bases in those states, The Colorado Gazette reported. But the new study discovered that those fears were unfounded and in fact, the reverse was true.

“With one minor exception, the data is trending downwards, though it remains relatively flat and the changes are statistically insignificant,” Army spokesman Lt. Col. Justin Platt wrote to the Gazette.

In Colorado, the rate of positive drug tests for marijuana dropped to .47 percent in the fiscal year that ended Oct. 1, down from .79 percent in the same time period two years prior. Pot was legalized between those two time periods.

Washington followed similar pattern. Joint Base Lewis McChord in Tacoma, Wash., the largest Army base in the state, dropped to .46 percent from .54 percent.

Army officials are crediting the decline to strong direction at the top rather than the soldiers actually being less inclined to toke up.

“That’s a sign of good leadership,” said Army Gen. Chuck Jacoby told the Gazette.

The Defense Department has ramped up efforts to make sure pot stays out of the ranks, the Gazette reported.

Signs at the gates of military bases in the Pikes Peak region emphasize that marijuana possession remains a federal crime and that soldiers caught smoking pot can face punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. A court-martial conviction for pot use can lead to up to two years behind bars.