The US Army is issuing an all time high of Marijuana associated moral waivers to meet recruitment demands for this next fiscal year. The fact of the matter is that most soldiers, whether they report it or not, are marijuana users, with the undeniable benefits of medicinal marijuana use, as well as the safer alternative for recreational use for soldiers in their down time. Let’s face it, when off base, soldiers are more responsible if they’re smoking weed than drinking alcohol.
At any rate, this is an interesting shift in Army policy and a sign of the times. usually the military is first to integrate, or recognize the need for change than society at large.
Here’s what you need to know about Marijuana Moral Waivers for the US Army:
- As more states lessen or eliminate marijuana penalties, the Army is granting hundreds of waivers to enlist people who used the drug in their youth
- The number of waivers granted by the active-duty Army for marijuana use jumped to more than 500 this year from 191 in 2016.
- Three years ago, no such waivers were granted. The big increase is just one way officials are dealing with orders to expand the Army’s size.
- “Provided they understand that they cannot do that when they serve in the military, I will waive that all day long,” said Maj. Gen. Jeff Snow, head of the Army’s recruiting command.
- Snow said the figures probably will rise further as more states legalize or decriminalize marijuana.
Eight states — Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington — and the District of Columbia have fully legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults’ recreational use.
- An additional 13 states have decriminalized it, meaning possession of small amounts is considered the equivalent of a traffic citation or a low-end misdemeanor with no chance of jail.
- Twenty-nine states, along with Puerto Rico, Guam and Washington, D.C., allow the use of medical marijuana.
