Armed Forces News

Despite the national movement toward decriminalization and outright legalization of marijuana use, Adm. Karl L. Schultz, the Coast Guard commandant, has a word for his charges: Stay away.
In a directive Schultz issued last month, Shultz reminded all hands that marijuana use, possession, manufacture and distribution all remain a violation of both federal law and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Moreover, he said, any activities that promote use of pot or any other illegal drugs “are contrary to our service’s core values.”

Use of marijuana and illegal drugs pose “a significant risk to Coast Guard personnel and to unit readiness, and negatively impacts mission execution,” Schultz wrote.
The ban on use of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient, extends to all persons except those who are provided it by prescription through medical facilities, pharmacies that follow U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines.