Australian troops using hard drugs in Afghanistan, Iraq

[IBRIS]

DIGGERS are using cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs while on tours of duty in Afghanistan and are returning home as addicts.

New Freedom of Information figures reveal hundreds of soldiers, sailors and airmen have tested positive to a string of illegal drugs since troops were sent to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Young Diggers Australia president John Jarrett said soldiers were mainly developing addictions to cocaine, a drug which is "as cheap as chips" in Afghanistan, The Sunday Mail reports.

"Soldiers (are) going over there, from NSW, healthy and normal, and coming back with all kinds of addictions," said Mr Jarrett, a Vietnam veteran.

"I do know the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is very concerned about the problem.

"We're seeing cocaine and marijuana as the major ones, but there's heroin around and all sorts of other drugs. Cocaine is the biggest problem though, because it's as cheap as chips."


The ADF personnel are understood to be using marijuana and cocaine illicitly to medicate themselves for psychological problems developed overseas.

Mr Jarrett said it was likely the soldiers were sourcing the drugs from foreign troops, particularly American forces, who serve alongside them in joint-operations fighting the Taliban.

An internal US intelligence report, made public this month, raised concerns about increased heroin use among bored, susceptible US soldiers.

It claims heroin is widely available in Afghanistan and is sold cheaply to allied forces as a tactical weapon to undermine their skills in battle.

As a result, addiction rates to heroin among US forces have doubled over the past four years.

Documents obtained by The Sunday Telegraph under FOI laws reveal illicit drugs are being used by Defence personnel in barracks across Australia.

Between 2004 and 2009, 351 soldiers, airmen and sailors have been given their marching orders for testing positive to drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, steroids, opiates or marijuana.

In that time, 653 positive readings were identified out of a total 42,784 tests carried out.

This year, 73 positive drug tests were recorded from January to August.

Of all the barracks, NSW fared worst, with Sydney's HMAS Kuttabul recording 90 positive drug readings the highest recorded at any barracks or training facility in Australia. Queensland barracks in Brisbane and Townsville recorded the second worst results, followed by the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Two soldiers one based in Sydney and another in Townsville tested positive for cocaine and three other Queensland soldiers tested positive for steroids.

Cannabis was the most common drug found during urine tests, followed by ecstasy.

Defence Personnel Minister Greg Combet's spokesman said rigorous schemes were in place to test for drug abuse.
Australian troops using hard drugs in Afghanistan, Iraq | National News | News.com.au

[xdrive]

It isn't just the Australian troops taking drugs it's all coliation forces, who could blame them though? If the military gave them enough mental support they wouldn't counsel themselves in drugs.