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Chu: Some lawmakers would need moral waiver

The Defense Department’s personnel chief says that a “significant fraction” of members of Congress have probably smoked marijuana and, if they were somehow age-eligible, would need a waiver to join the U.S. military today.

David S.C. Chu made the observation in describing the process by which so-called “personal conduct waivers” are granted to potential recruits who admit marijuana use. One of the questions recruiters ask, he told defense reporters during a Pentagon briefing on armed forces recruiting, is whether a recruit has ever used marijuana. He said that in the Marine Corps, admission of one use requires a waiver.

“That’s a pretty tough standard,” said Chu, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. “Not to be cheeky about this, but if we applied that standard to our legislative overseers, a significant fraction would need a waiver to join the United States military,” Chu said.

CNN reporter Barbara Starr wanted to know the basis for his contention. “Based upon public statements about past marijuana usage,” Chu said. Starr followed up, asking, “Are you saying that members of Congress who oversee your department —”

“I’m saying that in our society, experimental drug usage is a significant issue with young people,” Chu said. “We require a review if you acknowledge that you’ve done so. That’s all I’m saying. That affects a large fraction of our population.”

“Sir, that’s not exactly what you said,” Starr continued. “You said a significant fraction of your legislative overseers —”

“They are representative of our society,” Chu said. “And they’re supposed to be. All I’m saying is that the standards we set are sufficient in terms of review of your past behavior before you joined the military ... a significant fraction of almost any cross-section of our society is going to have to be reviewed.”

According to National Survey of Drug Abuse statistics, “high marijuana” usage marked the period of 1972 through 1982. In 1972, about 31 percent of youths aged 12 to 25 used marijuana; usage by 18- to 25-year-olds peaked in 1982 at 54.4 percent. Members of those age groups would now range from 50 to 60 years old.

The average age of members of the House of Representatives is 55.9, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Senate’s average age is 61.7.

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