Drug Testing in the Finnish Military Found Almost No Illicit Drug Use
Over 2,000 urine tests in the Finnish Defence Forces from 2002 to 2005 found only one positive result for illicit drugs, suggesting extremely low drug use in this military population.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
The Finnish Defence Forces conducted a drug testing program from 2002 to 2005, testing soldiers, civilian personnel, and military students. Testing occurred during application/enrollment and through annual random testing of 5% of personnel.
Over 2,000 urine samples were analyzed for cannabis, opiates, amphetamines, and cocaine. Only one person, a civilian job applicant, tested positive for amphetamine and cannabis. Seven other samples showed codeine and morphine, all attributed to prescribed medications rather than drug abuse.
The program encountered no significant operational difficulties. The authors attributed the extremely low positive rate partly to the military's broader anti-drug strategy, of which testing was one component. They noted the program's financial costs and called for controlled studies to determine whether testing programs actually improve workplace safety.
Key Numbers
Over 2,000 urine samples tested from 2002-2005. 1 positive for illicit drugs (amphetamine and cannabis). 7 positives for prescription opioids (not abuse). 5% of personnel randomly tested annually.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of a workplace drug testing program. Over 2,000 urine samples collected from 2002-2005 were analyzed in an accredited laboratory for cannabis, opiates, amphetamines, and cocaine. Results were compiled alongside operational and financial data from the program.
Why This Research Matters
This study provided data on the actual yield of workplace drug testing in a military setting, finding that the rate of illicit drug use was extremely low. This raises questions about the cost-effectiveness of broad testing programs when baseline prevalence is already very low.
The Bigger Picture
The study raised the broader question of whether workplace drug testing serves primarily as a deterrent or as a detection tool, and whether its costs are justified when positive rates are near zero. This question remains debated in both military and civilian workplace contexts.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The study describes one military in one country with generally low drug use rates, limiting generalizability. The deterrent effect of the testing program itself may explain the low positive rate, making it impossible to know what the rate would be without testing. No control group existed.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would positive rates change if testing were discontinued, suggesting a deterrent effect?
- ?Is the cost of testing over 2,000 samples justified by finding one positive result?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 1 positive result for illicit drugs out of 2,000+ military urine tests
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a descriptive report of a workplace testing program without a control group, providing limited evidence about the program's effectiveness.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2007. Workplace drug testing policies and cannabis legalization have evolved substantially since then, changing the context for these findings.
- Original Title:
- Workplace drug testing in a military organization: results and experiences from the testing program in the Finnish Defence Forces.
- Published In:
- Forensic science international, 170(2-3), 171-4 (2007)
- Authors:
- Meririnne, Esa, Mykkänen, Sirpa, Lillsunde, Pirjo, Kuoppasalmi, Kimmo, Lerssi, Risto, Laaksonen, Ilmo, Lehtomäki, Kyösti, Henriksson, Markus
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00283
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean drug testing works?
The study can't answer that definitively. The very low positive rate could mean the testing deterred use, or it could mean use was already rare in this population regardless of testing. No control group existed for comparison.
Was cannabis the main concern?
Cannabis was one of four drug classes tested. The single positive result included cannabis alongside amphetamine. The testing program targeted multiple substances equally.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00283APA
Meririnne, Esa; Mykkänen, Sirpa; Lillsunde, Pirjo; Kuoppasalmi, Kimmo; Lerssi, Risto; Laaksonen, Ilmo; Lehtomäki, Kyösti; Henriksson, Markus. (2007). Workplace drug testing in a military organization: results and experiences from the testing program in the Finnish Defence Forces.. Forensic science international, 170(2-3), 171-4.
MLA
Meririnne, Esa, et al. "Workplace drug testing in a military organization: results and experiences from the testing program in the Finnish Defence Forces.." Forensic science international, 2007.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Workplace drug testing in a military organization: results a..." RTHC-00283. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/meririnne-2007-workplace-drug-testing-in
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.