Navy brings in urine testing for drugs

The Navy has started urine testing its entire personnel for drugs, following a string of incidents involving drug use in the Defence Force.

Seven soldiers were arrested in Palmerston North in October 2015 for taking the drug N- Bomb.

In March, five personnel were sent home from Fiji accused of using a substance on an aid mission.

Then in June, a group of Navy staff were stood down, accused of using illegal substances on another deployment.

Previously staff were tested on a reasonable cause basis, if commanding officers suspected misuse.

"We need to ensure that safety comes first and our people are required for whatever we need them to do, be it operational or non-operational within the New Zealand garrison support structure," says NZDF surgeon general Brigadier Andrew Gray.

The Navy says its staff operate in dangerous environments and can't afford to be in an impaired state. It also says it's unsure of the full scale of substance misuse amongst sailors.

Lawyer Michael Bott represented two of the Linton soldiers later acquitted of drug use and says the Navy have got it wrong.

"Random testing on an ad-hoc basis like that is just silly and doesn't work," he says.

"It hasn't worked in industries and it won't work here."

And even the Defence Force itself admits its approach could confuse service men and women.

A minute addressed to Army staff says: "Policy discrepancies are contributing to an inconsistent approach."

That's because despite the zero-tolerance stance, one part of the regulations suggest a two-strike approach, that "could create the perception illegal drug use and illicit substances are tolerable".

"The policy inconsistencies need to be addressed, in terms of ensuring that we have the best policy moving forward, and that we continue to review our policy," Brig Gray says.

The Defence Force has asked for outside help and has brought in the Drug Foundation, which will assist in rethinking its rules on dealing with drug abuse.

Mr Bott is hopeful it will recommend the Defence Force distances itself from such a hard-line approach.

Newshub.