In a warning that applies equally well to other agencies, an Air Force article notes that despite changes in state laws governing marijuana use, federal law still prevails on federal employees for eligibility to receive, or continue to hold, a security clearance or to occupy a sensitive position.
It notes that the Justice Department’s policy is that a state cannot authorize violations of federal law, including the Controlled Substance Act, which identifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled drug; and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which prohibits a federal agency from granting or renewing a clearance to an unlawful user of a controlled substance or an addict.
Further, Executive Order 12564 “mandates a drug-free workplace and drug-free federal workforce and expressly states that use of illegal drugs on or off duty by federal employees in positions with access to sensitive information may pose a serious risk to national security and is inconsistent with the trust placed in such employees as servants of the public,” it said.
“An individual’s disregard of federal law pertaining to the use, sale, or manufacture of marijuana remains adjudicatively relevant in national security determinations. As always, adjudicative authorities are expected to evaluate claimed or developed use of, or involvement, with marijuana using the current adjudicative criteria,” it said. “When making eligibility decisions of persons proposed for, or occupying, sensitive national security positions, the adjudicative authority must determine if the use of, or involvement with marijuana raises questions about the individual’s judgment, reliability, trustworthiness, and willingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations; including federal laws.”
The article is here: http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123434466
