SOLDIERS WHO USED DRUGS KEPT OUT OF AFGHANISTAN

OTTAWA - About 250 soldiers who tested positive for drug tests, were
not allowed to serve in Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces confirmed
yesterday.

According to documents obtained by CBC News, the military has tested
almost 7,000 soldiers since mandatory drug testing of personnel headed
to Afghanistan began in 2006.

The results were for the period September 2006 to last May, which show
that most of the soldiers who failed tested positive for marijuana.
The report also said some military personnel were found to have traces
of harder drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamines in
their systems.

"When you want to send our soldiers there, you don't want to send kids
who are addicted or who have a drug problem. They have to be clean,"
said Liberal defence critic Denis Corderre.

As federal sports minister in 2001, Coderre was instrumental in
establishing the Montreal-based World Anti-Doping Agency.

Canadian Armed Forces Brig.-Gen. Ian Poulter told CBC News: "It's a
particular concern because we are in Afghanistan, they are in a combat
situation and they have to make split-second decisions, life or death, and
we need them to be able to do that without the influence of illicit drugs."

Liberal Senator Colin Kenny agreed: "It's a reflection of the society
we live in," he said. "A lot of young people use drugs. It would
surprise me if a lot of people who joined the Canadian Forces didn't
as well," said Kenny.