Effect of pre-enlistment testing on the confirmed drug-positive rate for Navy recruits.
In June 1988, the armed forces of the United States began testing prospective candidates for military service for alcohol, marijuana metabolite (THC-COOH), and cocaine metabolite (benzoylecgonine) through the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) program. Comparison of the confirmed positive drug rates for pre-inductees into the Navy during the MEPS program testing period with the confirmed drug-positive rates for 5 years before and 1 year after MEPS testing showed a decrease in the confirmed positive rate for THC-COOH and an apparent initial decrease for cocaine metabolite as a result of MEPS testing. The overall results for cocaine seem to be overshadowed by other demographic factors operating in the population tested.
Romberg
R W
RW
Navy Drug Screening Laboratory, Great Lakes, IL 60088.
Needleman
S B
SB
Porvaznik
M
M
Past
M
M
Beasley
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
D000431:Ethanol; C005618:benzoylecgonine; D013759:Dronabinol; D003042:Cocaine