How long until marijuana is legal in the military?

Ted, to answer your question, "why do so many active service members advocate marijuana use", I think the answer to that is that many younger people have had more exposure to it in their lifetime and it does not hold the same societal stigma it did in previous generations. Whether they have tried it themselves or not, it is not viewed as negatively as it was in the past. The same could be said about a lot of other things that were once highly taboo and people were ostracized for it. Times and perceptions change. Many of the government's past "facts" about marijuana have been proven to be false or over exaggerated. There is no place for it in the military, we can agree on that. But it does have a medicinal value that patients are benefiting from. There are many different types and strains of cannabis, with different affects for different symptoms. It is much more than a "mind altering drug". Marijuana can also have a therapeutic effect on the body. Has been proven to effectively treat eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts. I believe that people should have the freedom to make their own choice. Whether or not you interpret that as me being a user or not doesn't matter. To me it just means I know enough about it to make up my own mind.

Sgt Hallock, do you enjoy an occasional beer or wine or mixed drink?

PO3 William Garner - I will have about four beers over the course of a year. I have seen too many lives lost, and families destroyed by booze.

Thank you for your response Sgt Theodore (Ted) M Hallock. I was thinking of your answer when I asked the question ."Is life so bad that you need to have a mind altering experience?". I assume you don't have those beers for a mind altering experience but the result could be the same. You either enjoy the taste ( not enough to enjoy very often) or because it helps you relax? The same applies to usage of pot. It's not a mind altering experience, but it is a pleasant way to relax and has medicinal properties. My experience with both substances is too many beers and you have people fighting, too many joints and you have people trying to get the last Twinkie. I'd rather be around someone stoned than drunk anytime. Drunks can get ugly fast. Stoners are too relaxed to get off the couch. Just my two cents my brother.