Fort Carson master sergeant gets confinement in marijuana-related case
A master sergeant at Fort Carson received 42 days confinement after pleading guilty to marijuana charges and attempting to engage in a relationship with a soldier of a different rank.
The senior noncommissioned officer pleaded guilty to all three charges he was facing in mid-November during a special court-martial, according to a statement from Fort Carson.
He was accused of using marijuana during late 2023 and offering it to a corporal, which were considered separate offenses, according to the charging documents. He also attempted to have a prohibited relationship in December 2023.
He received 14 days of confinement for each of the three separate charges. Prior to the court-martial, he agreed to a plea deal that limited his confinement to 30 days of confinement for each offense.
The officer had served since 2002, according to documents from Fort Carson.
While marijuana use is still prohibited in the military, recreational marijuana use is legal in 24 states, including Colorado, and Washington D.C.
Canadian troops are allowed to use marijuana under a 2018 directive. They are prohibited from using marijuana eight hours before any duty and 24 hours before operating weapons or vehicles. It is the only NATO country to allow marijuana.
The military also offers waivers to recruits who initially test positive for marijuana during the enlistment process.
A 2018 health survey found among the Army, 1.1% of the troops had used an illicit substance over the last 12 months. An updated survey is currently ongoing.






