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Soldiers test positive for drugs Queen's guards 'fail drugs test'
(about 5 hours later)
Seven soldiers from Chelsea Barracks in London have tested positive for drugs. Five soldiers who guarded the Queen during the State Opening of Parliament have tested positive for drugs.
According to newspaper reports they were among a group who had recently guarded the Queen during the State Opening of Parliament. They were among a group of seven based at Chelsea Barracks in west London who failed a compulsory Army drugs test.
The soldiers had provided urine samples for a compulsory drugs test as part of the Army's drug testing programme. The soldiers had provided urine samples for the testing, carried out two days before the royal guard duty last month.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Seven people from Chelsea Barracks provided positive samples following recent testing." A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the results were not known until after they group had guarded the queen and internal action would now be taken.
The spokesman added that "appropriate internal action" was being taken. The spokesman added: "Individuals who are found to be taking or supplying illegal drugs are usually discharged from military service.
"Drug misuse is incompatible with life in the Armed Forces and will not be tolerated."
The Ministry of Defence said positive drug test results in the Army for the past four years stood at about 0.7%, compared with more than 5% in civilian workplace drug testing programmes in the UK.