Army Marijuana Campaign

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31543, 4 December 1967, Page 13

Army Marijuana Campaign

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAIGON, Dec. 3. Military officials have ordered an intensified campaign against marijuana after a survey showing use of it by troops. A bulletin issued in one division said the Viet Cong were supplying marijuana to United States soldiers “because they know it makes American soldiers ineffective” in combat. The United States command has begun using an anonymous questionnaire among

departing troops in an attempt to investigate! use of marijuana. Spot checks carried out for the army provost marshal’s office showed that, statistically, almost one of every 200 men was smoking marijuana.

Senior officers earlier said they did not know how extensively marijuana was used, but charges involving it ranked as the single largest major offence in Vietnam. Police Arrested Those arrested have included military police, . young officers, guards on duty and fighting men. For a time marijuana was being smuggled in to a gaol not far from the United States Army’s Vietnam headquarters at Long Binh.

Military police have been ordered to press efforts to get Vietnamese police to take action against sellers and to pick up United States soldiers who use marijuana. The United States Ist Air Cavalry Division’s moves included a troop information bulletin which warned soldiers that marijuana decreased effectiveness and made soldiers subject “to unpredictable and tinusual actions such as shooting, grenade throwing, etc.”

Soldiers convicted of using marijuana are liable to sentences ranging to dishonourable discharge and two years prison. The most common sen-

tence for first offenders is four months in the guardhous'. Military police spokesmen have said that co-operation from Vietnamese police in detecting sellers had improved markedly in recent months. However, sellers were normally let off with a fine and are back in business quickly. Because the traffic in marijuana is profitable, at least some of the business is said to involve powerful Vietnamese interests who can protect their sellers.