Legalized Marijuana and Divergent Enlistment Policies ...

Civilian Research Project Army War College Fellow

Legalized Marijuana and Divergent Enlistment Policies

by

Colonel David P. Shafer US Army War College Fellow

United States Army War College Class of 2015

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Authorized for U.S. Government Agencies Only. Specific Authority USAWC, March 2015.

Other requests for this document shall be referred to USAWC. Destroy by any method that prevents disclosure of contents or reconstruction of the document. This manuscript is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the U.S. Army War College Fellowship. The views expressed in this student academic research paper are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the

Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

The U.S. Army War College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 662-5606. The Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the

Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

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01-03-2015

CIVILIAN RESEARCH PROJECT

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4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

.33

Legalized Marijuana and Divergent Enlistment Policies

5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER

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6. AUTHOR(S)

Colonel David P. Shafer US Army War College Fellow

5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

Duke University - Sanford School of Counterterrorism and Public Policy Prof Jenni Owen

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

Dr. Steven Metz U.S. Army War College, 122 Forbes Avenue, Carlisle, PA 17013

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Distribution B: Authorized for U.S. Government Agencies Only. Specific Authority USAWC, March 2014

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Word Count: 8,528

14. ABSTRACT

Divergent federal and state marijuana laws will necessitate future Army enlistment policy changes. Eighteen states are projected to make recreational marijuana legal by the year 2020. Studies correlate an increase in adolescent usage in states with legalized recreational and medical marijuana. Additionally, the percentage of youth that are fit to serve in the military under current policy continues to decline. Youth capable of serving make up only twenty-five percent of the recruiting age population. These trends foretell recruiting challenges the Army will face the next time growth is required for a conventional conflict. This paper studies trends, past polices, and the social landscape to shape future policy recommendations for pre-enlistment marijuana use. The recommendations are applicable throughout the Department of Defense as well as federal agencies with marijuana related accession policies.

15. SUBJECT TERMS

recruiting, marijuana, enlistment, laws, pot, strength

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USAWC CIVILIAN RESEARCH PROJECT

Legalized Marijuana and Divergent Enlistment Policies

by

Colonel David P. Shafer US Army War College Fellow

Duke University - Sanford School of Counterterrorism and Public Policy Prof Jenni Owen Project Adviser

Dr. Steven Metz U.S. Army War College Faculty Mentor

This manuscript is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the U.S. Army War College Fellowship. The U.S. Army War College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 662-5606. The Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The views expressed in this student academic research paper are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.

U.S. Army War College CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA 17013

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