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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    I spent 30 years working for the US Army and various contractors that sold into the most sensitive areas of the government. I've never heard of a hair follicle or even a pee test being administered. They ask on the form and then they go around asking your friends and neighbors and coworkers and the local police departments, etc... whether you have ever been known to take drugs. A med-mj card would be really bad to have if you didn't disclose it. Many things that are taboo on the security clearance are forgiveable if you disclose them and swear (and possibly prove) that you aren't going to use them anymore. THe one thing that is clearly UNFORGEABLE is lying on your applications and other attestations. The whole security clearance thing is trust, and TRUST is the #1 thing they are lookign for.

  2. #2
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    Feb 2020
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Quote Quoting flyingron
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    I spent 30 years working for the US Army and various contractors that sold into the most sensitive areas of the government. I've never heard of a hair follicle or even a pee test being administered. They ask on the form and then they go around asking your friends and neighbors and coworkers and the local police departments, etc... whether you have ever been known to take drugs. A med-mj card would be really bad to have if you didn't disclose it. Many things that are taboo on the security clearance are forgiveable if you disclose them and swear (and possibly prove) that you aren't going to use them anymore. THe one thing that is clearly UNFORGEABLE is lying on your applications and other attestations. The whole security clearance thing is trust, and TRUST is the #1 thing they are lookign for.
    In the 1980's I had a secret DOD clearance with about eight SAC (special access clearances) clearances to closed door projects. It was for building spy satellites for TRW Space and Defense. I can say they DO pee test because I took a few.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Hal, that was almost certainly a test done by your employer in their drugs in the workplace program. While this is a requirement to get federal contracts, it doesn't necessarily require testing, nor is it directly related to any particular employee's security clearance. Indeed, I've read the requirements and had a successful program established that didn't involve any routine testing.

    Quote Quoting Mark47n
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    They did follicle tests when I enlisted in the Army in the '90's and the mill that I work at now uses hair sampling. Construction companies routinely drug test, the RR does, and more.
    Not saying companies don't drug test, but the Feds do not require it as a condition of getting a clearance. We didn't drug test and I guarantee that we had people with clearances you've never heard of. Many of the government entities that we contracted to don't even exist publicly.

    The key is, that the drug testing isn't the issue. Even in the military, the drug testing is potentially excusable. The point is that intentionally lying on a security clearance application is a much bigger issue.

    The Medical MJ card is going to raise eyes if detected so you should disclose. You can explain that you've found other ways to get around the condition than (federally) illegal drugs.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2020
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Quote Quoting flyingron
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    Hal, that was almost certainly a test done by your employer in their drugs in the workplace program. While this is a requirement to get federal contracts, it doesn't necessarily require testing, nor is it directly related to any particular employee's security clearance. Indeed, I've read the requirements and had a successful program established that didn't involve any routine testing.



    Not saying companies don't drug test, but the Feds do not require it as a condition of getting a clearance. We didn't drug test and I guarantee that we had people with clearances you've never heard of. Many of the government entities that we contracted to don't even exist publicly.

    The key is, that the drug testing isn't the issue. Even in the military, the drug testing is potentially excusable. The point is that intentionally lying on a security clearance application is a much bigger issue.

    The Medical MJ card is going to raise eyes if detected so you should disclose. You can explain that you've found other ways to get around the condition than (federally) illegal drugs.
    I was told the background checks that I went through cost between $10-20K back in the eighties. That was paid for with Fed Project money and yes, they did have pee tests included.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Quote Quoting Harold99
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    I was told the background checks that I went through cost between $10-20K back in the eighties. That was paid for with Fed Project money and yes, they did have pee tests included.
    That doesn't change anything I said.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Quote Quoting flyingron
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    That doesn't change anything I said.
    I am not trying to change anything you said. If what you said is true to you, then there is no way I can change your opinion of your experience. Especially not here. But I will say that your experience is not mine, and that I had a secret clearance for eight years while working for TRW Space and Defense in addition to many project clearances that were even harder to obtain. It was told to me that TRW did not order, request or pay for those costly clearances. The project (DOD) budgets did.

    If it is your experience that the DOD does not request pee tests as part of their security clearances, then you should go on believing that. If you also believe that insurance companies do not require pee tests, you should go on believing that too because this is not the place to have your opinions and experiences changed.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Massachusetts
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Isn't it possible that both your experiences are valid? That Harold was required to provide pee tests and Ron was not? That perhaps since the 80's when Harold had his experiences and later when Ron had his that the process changed? Why can't you both be right?

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Medical Cannabis Card Affects Security Clearance

    Quote Quoting flyingron
    View Post
    I spent 30 years working for the US Army and various contractors that sold into the most sensitive areas of the government. I've never heard of a hair follicle or even a pee test being administered. They ask on the form and then they go around asking your friends and neighbors and coworkers and the local police departments, etc... whether you have ever been known to take drugs. A med-mj card would be really bad to have if you didn't disclose it. Many things that are taboo on the security clearance are forgiveable if you disclose them and swear (and possibly prove) that you aren't going to use them anymore. THe one thing that is clearly UNFORGEABLE is lying on your applications and other attestations. The whole security clearance thing is trust, and TRUST is the #1 thing they are lookign for.

    They did follicle tests when I enlisted in the Army in the '90's and the mill that I work at now uses hair sampling. Construction companies routinely drug test, the RR does, and more.

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