"Even Those Who Smoked Marijuana Are Okay"... US Faces New Recruit Shortage, Considering Abolishing Physical Exams

Refusal to Enlist Due to Marijuana Use Makes Recruiting New Recruits Difficult
Calls to Eliminate Marijuana Testing Upon Enlistment Increase

As the U.S. military faces difficulties in recruiting new soldiers, the U.S. Congress is increasingly considering measures to allow enlistment of individuals with a history of marijuana use. This is due to the growing number of states legalizing marijuana and the increasing cases of enlistment rejections related to marijuana use, which are making recruitment even more challenging.

According to reports from USA Today and other foreign media on the 8th (local time), Representative Matt Gaetz (Florida) submitted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to eliminate marijuana testing during military enlistment or commissioning. Gaetz is known as one of the hardline Republicans.

Through the media, Gaetz stated, “I do not believe that prior marijuana use should disqualify someone from military enlistment,” and added, “We should be inclusive so that these individuals can serve the United States.”

USA Today reported, “Earlier, Republican Representative Tony Gonzales (Texas) introduced a bill allowing military personnel to use marijuana-containing products permitted under federal or state law.”

Democratic Representative Robert Garcia (California) also introduced legislation to prohibit denial of security clearances based on personal marijuana use in states where marijuana is legalized.

The first legal marijuana dispensary in Manhattan, New York, 'Housing Works Cannabis' store [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The New York Times (NYT) reported, “In 2022, the number of Americans testing positive for marijuana in military recruitment screenings increased by about 33% compared to 2020.”

According to statistics from Quest Diagnostics, a leading drug testing laboratory in the U.S., a drug test conducted last year on 6 million employees across various companies showed a 4.3% positive rate for marijuana. This is the highest rate since 1997.

This high rate is analyzed as an effect of the expanding legalization of marijuana. As of April this year, marijuana use is legal in 22 states including Virginia, California, and Arizona, as well as Washington D.C. and U.S. territory Guam. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states.

Other government sectors are also showing trends of loosening marijuana-related regulations. Under federal law, employees working in transportation, construction, logistics, healthcare, and other government agencies must undergo drug testing. However, due to labor shortages, resistance to drug testing, and changes in cultural norms, an increasing number of companies are discontinuing marijuana testing.

In the case of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the league and the players’ union are discussing a collective bargaining agreement to remove marijuana from the list of banned substances. Although not yet finalized, random testing for marijuana use among players is expected to be discontinued soon. Amazon has also stopped marijuana testing during hiring, except for certain federally mandated positions such as transportation.

A survey released last year by the Pew Research Center showed that only 1 in 10 American adults oppose the legalization of marijuana use.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.