Substance abuse has long been an issue of concern for the . population and for its military in particular. Dating as far back as the Revolutionary War, Dr. Benjamin Rush detailed the effects of alcohol on the troops. During the Civil War, addiction to opium prescribed for pain became known as the “soldier’s disease.” Drug problems in both the military and civilian sectors have intensified throughout the 20th century as the types and formulations of substances being used have increased. Since the 1970s, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has been called upon numerous times to advise the government on both medical and legal solutions to the.
