Our generals must declare war on drugs

AN ARMY which was soft on drugtaking would be an undisciplined and ineffective Army. That, above all, must guide decisions on such matters. The whole point of our Armed Forces is to defend this country in times of danger.

If the weakening of the Army rules on drugs – which The Mail on Sunday reveals today – continues, imagine the possible effect during live-firing exercises, let alone in actual combat.

And how long before it is also implemented in the other Forces – among those who crew our nuclear submarines or maintain our jet planes?

Armed Forces cannot be immune from social change. Our service chiefs have rightly responded – with some success – to new views towards women on the front line, or aboard warships, and also towards homosexuality.

But that does not mean they should give in to every new thing, good or bad, just because it is new. Drugs are still illegal. And evidence grows that their use may be linked with mental illness.

It is a short step from watering down the punishment to turning a blind eye, and from there to widespread uncontrolled abuse.

The Army has no business undermining the law of the land, and even less business engaging in this sort of social defeatism. Recruitment may be hard at present, but that does not mean lowering standards to this level.

No doubt illegal drug-taking is common in British society. A serious organisation should respond by using its influence to combat this, rather than giving in to it.

Plenty of young men and women still refuse to have anything to do with the drug culture. They are the sort of people we want in our Army, but they will be less likely to join if they believe that they will have to fight alongside stupefied or intoxicated colleagues.

This was a bad decision, which undermined both law and discipline.

It should not have been taken without consulting Parliament.