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FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Sun Oct 09, 2005 at 03:52:35 PM EST
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The FBI is considering relaxing its pot-smoking policy. Don't get excited though, its not a policy aimed at current smokers or the general public, but one of its hiring policies. Apparently, some really good candidates have been disqualified from working for the agency due to smoking pot in college.

The change would ease limits about how often - and how many years ago - applicants for jobs such as intelligence analysts, linguists, computer specialists, accountants and others had used illegal drugs.

The change wouldn't apply to actual FBI agents.

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    FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy (none / 0) (#1)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:50 PM EST
    Good idea. It would be helpful to have agents who are more representative of the population.

    Re: FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy (none / 0) (#2)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:50 PM EST
    Weeeelll, Mr. Johnson, so maybe you smoked a little pot in college, that was long ago, but what we really want to know is: DID YOU EVER READ ANY PORN MAGAZINES???

    Re: FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy (none / 0) (#3)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    LOL, Al, thanks.

    Re: FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy (none / 0) (#4)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    Not too surprising; they don’t have a choice really, this is if they want a good pool of applicants. My personal experience has been that intelligent curious folks are curious about illicit dugs also. Many of my colleagues, myself included, use DOD and DOE super computers that require secure access and background checks. None have been denied access because of past drug use. In fact, the questions are phrase such that only the most chronic user (or perhaps a distributor) would need to disclose their use or lie to hide it. The policy accommodates past recreational drug use and even distribution if it was long past. It is a symptom of the larger shift in public attitude; the most rigid authoritarian institutions are forced to accommodate drug use. Caution, rant: The continued prohibition of MJ is just one more a$$ chapping from the boomers (astronomical national debt, insatiable federal spending, etc). This ‘special’ generation shows just how average they are. Having witnessing first hand the benign MJ high and now gaining political clout at maturity you might think the boomers would have made MJ legal. He11 no, do as I say not as I do. Thanks, mom and dad.

    FBI May Relax Pot-Smoker Policy | 4 comments (4 topical)