RAF PERSONNEL FACE RANDOM DRUG TESTS

RANDOM drug-testing is to be introduced in the RAF, bringing the Service
into line with the Army and Royal Navy, John Reid, the Armed Forces
Minister, is to announce today. The move is intended to underline the
Government's policy of "zero tolerance" of drug-taking in the Forces.

The random checks will begin in November and the plan is to test 25 per
cent of the RAF annually. All ranks up to the Chief of the Air Staff will
be obliged to submit to testing, in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Government chemists will be looking for evidence of six types of drugs:
cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, barbiturates and LSD. Anyone in
the RAF found to have taken drugs will face disciplinary action and is
likely to be discharged.

The Army introduced random drug-testing in January 1995. The Royal Navy
followed last year. Before agreeing to a programme of drug-testing, the RAF
surveyed opinion among personnel: about 80 per cent were in favour.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)