4,000 Midshipmen Tested For Drugs

All 4,000 Naval Academy midshipmen were tested for illegal drug use within 48 hours after investigators caught two upperclassmen with LSD at a Maryland motel Sunday, Navy officials said Monday.

The testing was unprecedented in scope and swiftness.

“In the past, we have tested two companies a week randomly and half the brigade over a couple of days right after a leave period,” said academy spokesman Capt. Tom Jurkowsky.

“While we have no reason at this point to believe more than the two are involved in this, we view this seriously,” Jurkowsky said. “This serves as a deterrent. The Navy’s policy is zero tolerance,” he said.

Half the brigade was tested Sunday and the rest were tested Monday.

The midshipmen in Sunday’s incident - a senior and a junior - were caught buying LSD but have not been charged with any crime.