Members of the armed forces sacrifice not only their time, but also their lives serving in extreme stressful situations and remote circumstances in the world. Although these individuals are considered to be one our bravest people in this nation, they are also not immune to the substance use issues that affect the rest of society. U.S. military members are considered to use illicit drug use the least as compared to their civilian counterparts, but the popularity of heavy alcohol and tobacco, prescription drugs, and opioids are increasing in a fast pace. If this is left untreated, then it can often lead to criminal activity and can tragically increase numbers of veterans that are being arrested and entering the criminal justice system.
Factors of a Veteran Not Seeking Help
As society in the U.S., we as a community are responsible for effects veteran suffer in the task of defending this nation. There may be supporting agencies and federal organizations, like the Veterans Administration (VA), that offer support for veterans and military personnel, but sometimes that is not enough in protecting these individuals.
Brenner, Southwick, …show more content…
Department of Defense has enacted a “zero-tolerance policy” back in 1982. This policy was to have better control of the illicit drug use situation within the military organizations. This act includes having drug screening at random. Schuster (1998) noted that if the service member screened positive for illicit drug use, the member would be faced with discharge that is either dishonorable or other, and would be facing criminal convictions (p.42-44). Although this policy has been able to reduce the amount of illicit drug use in the military, it did little to address the issue with prescription drug abuse. Service members use opioids or other painkillers, and would misuse them to self-medicate. This zero-tolerance policy was able to act as a preventative measure, but did not cover the aspect of treatment or intervention
Factors of a Veteran Not Seeking Help
As society in the U.S., we as a community are responsible for effects veteran suffer in the task of defending this nation. There may be supporting agencies and federal organizations, like the Veterans Administration (VA), that offer support for veterans and military personnel, but sometimes that is not enough in protecting these individuals.
Brenner, Southwick, …show more content…
Department of Defense has enacted a “zero-tolerance policy” back in 1982. This policy was to have better control of the illicit drug use situation within the military organizations. This act includes having drug screening at random. Schuster (1998) noted that if the service member screened positive for illicit drug use, the member would be faced with discharge that is either dishonorable or other, and would be facing criminal convictions (p.42-44). Although this policy has been able to reduce the amount of illicit drug use in the military, it did little to address the issue with prescription drug abuse. Service members use opioids or other painkillers, and would misuse them to self-medicate. This zero-tolerance policy was able to act as a preventative measure, but did not cover the aspect of treatment or intervention