Israel seeks to crack down on cannabis use among its soldiers

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) crack down on cannabis use and other drugs in their ranks, according to an announcement on Monday.

The Israeli National Army has launched an advertising campaign to inform troops that taking illegal substances can have serious repercussions, reports the Jerusalem Post.

The new regulations are said to have been formulated by the General Staff Committee, which studied the use of adult-use drugs within the forces.

«As part of the fight against drug use within the IDF, a reform has been decided to strengthen measures to combat this phenomenon and will enable troops to be punished,» the publication says, citing a statement from the IDF spokesman's unit.

One of the toughest new rules for soldiers convicted of using or possessing banned substances is the denial of soldier benefits, as well as the loss of demobilization grants awarded to every soldier at the end of his or her service (military service is compulsory for citizens of both sexes over the age of 18).

Israel has partially decriminalized cannabis several years ago. However, military rules have not been relaxed.

Soldiers caught in possession of prohibited substances, even while on leave, can be arrested and prosecuted in criminal court. Soldiers facing military trial for drugs risk penalties such as demotion, a criminal record and a ban on obtaining a driver's license.

However, these rules do not appear to be a major deterrent. A survey in 2018 by the Israeli Anti-Drug Authority reported that more than half of IDF soldiers admitted to using illegal drugs in the previous year.

This news follows years of reports suggesting that Tsahal intended to relax its rules about soldiers' use of cannabis, as well as the announcement that criminal records would be erased by 2020. Proposals were also made for legalize cannabis in the country in the near future.