The bill points out that 23 states, two territories and the District of Columbia have approved recreational use of marijuana. Image: Amihays/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffA new bipartisan bill in the House would ease restrictions on marijuana use by federal employees, by stating that past or current use could no longer be grounds for finding an individual unsuitable for federal employment or for denying or revoking a security clearance.
“Every year, qualified and dedicated individuals seeking to serve our country are unable to secure federal jobs and security clearances because the federal government has not caught up with the widely established legal use of medical and recreational cannabis,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. Also initially sponsoring the bill is Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., chair of the subcommittee on cybersecurity and IT.
They said that 23 states, two territories and the District of Columbia allow limited use by adults for recreational purposes and 38 states, three territories and the District of Columbia allow the medical use of marijuana. However, for federal employment purposes, marijuana remains classified under Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, making it potentially disqualifying to become, or remain, a federal employee. The Biden administration last fall ordered a review of that classification.
In 2021, OPM had told agencies not to automatically deem the use or possession of marijuana as disqualifying, saying “the individual’s conduct must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine the impact, if any, to the integrity and the efficiency of the government.”
Early in 2022 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a policy statement similarly saying that past recreational marijuana use should not by itself be “determinative” to eligibility for granting or continuing a security clearance. Other factors to be considered in an adjudication, it said, include “frequency of use and whether the individual can demonstrate that future use is unlikely to recur.”
The bill also would allow those who had previously been denied a security clearance or a federal job opportunity based on marijuana use the chance to have that denial reviewed.
Large Share of Federal Workforce about to Experience a Payless Pay Period
OPM Details Coverage Changes, Plan Dropouts for FEHB/PSHB in 2026
OMB Says Federal Workforce RIFs are Starting as Shutdown Drags On
Financial Impact of Shutdown Starts to Hit Home; WH Threatens No Back Pay
Surge of Retirement Applications Is in the Pipeline, Says OPM
See also,
TSP Takes Step toward Upcoming In-Plan Roth Conversions
5 Steps to Protect Your Federal Job During the Shutdown
Over 30K TSP Accounts Have Crossed the Million Mark in 2025
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
