THC yogurt reminds Airmen to read labels

by Staff Sgt. Steve Stanley
Air Combat Command Public Affairs

9/9/2013 - Langley AFB, Va.  --  It has become increasingly important for Airmen to read the labels of products they consume to ensure there is no damage to their career due to traces of hemp seeds and its derivatives being ingested from their day-to-day consumer products.

 A yogurt brand directly violates the Air Force's prohibition of products containing hemp seeds or hemp seed oil.

 Chobani, Inc., a Greek yogurt company, introduced the product, Blueberry Power, under their "Flip" line of yogurts.

 The prohibition is outlined in Air Force Instruction 44-120, Drug Demand Reduction Program, Paragraph 1.1.5 and states the ingestion of products containing, or products derived from, hemp seed or hemp seed oil is prohibited.

 Hemp seed and hemp seed oil contains tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, an active ingredient of marijuana, which is detectable under the Air Force Drug Testing Program.

 "The best advice to give anyone is read the label and do a little research," said Col. James Mullins, ACC command public health officer.

 By not reading these labels, Airmen have a greater chance of consuming products that may violate regulation and can fall subject to punishment under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

 The use of hemp seeds is prominently labeled with other ingredients on the top of the
Chobani yogurt's package, but ingredients may not be as clearly displayed on other consumer products.

 While Blueberry Power never made its way on to commissary shelves, some items containing hemp seeds or hemp seed oil can be found in commissaries and other various stores on and off base, to include health food stores.