The Secret Service has recently changed its policy regarding marijuana use. Where in the past, smoking weed was strictly outlawed alongside cocaine, heroin and other illicit substances, the rules are changing now in order to make space for more agents to be hired in the coming years. The decision reflects the changing attitude of the American public when it comes to marijuana. With 29 states currently having legal medical marijuana and 8 states legalizing recreational marijuana, the plant has become de-stigmatized as more and more Americans become acquainted with the facts about the plant, smoking weed and its many medicinal benefits.
A Tougher Job for Secret Service
The new Secret Service director, Randolph Alles, is responsible for the new policy, coming to the decision that extra agents would be needed after meeting with President Trump. The job of the Secret Service is to guard the President, his family and property. Given the fact that Trump has a larger family and a ton of property, extra agents will be necessary. On top of this, post-9/11 America is a little more dangerous. Between threats from ISIS and homegrown attacks, the Secret Service has a lot more on their plate than ever before. “The mission has changed," Alles said. "It's more dynamic and way more dangerous than it has been in years past.”
Secret Service Hopefuls Who Have Smoked Weed
The Secret Service is planning to hire approximately 3,000 new agents over the coming years. For those who are 24 or younger, it should be at least one year since last smoking weed. For anyone who is 28 or older, it needs to be at least 5 years since they last consumed marijuana. The plan is to view each applicant as a ‘whole person.’ So long as applicants are completely honest, their application will get a fair review. If an applicant is found to be misrepresenting themselves they will be ineligible for employment. The Secret Service conducts a thorough background and credit check on applicants as well as connecting polygraph tests. The process is rigorous and applicants must be found to be telling the truth.
Smoking Weed in Your Past May Not Disqualify You from Federal Employment
According to the most recent polls, the majority of American voters are in favor of legalizing marijuana. Despite this, the plant remains illegal on a federal level although many states now have legal marijuana in some form. This makes it complicated for those who live in states where the plant is legal to apply for federal employment. The updated policy gives a little room for those who are applying from these states.
The federal law has made it complicated for many federal agencies to hire agents. The FBI has also been looking to update their laws regarding marijuana use although their policy has not as yet changed. The agency states that “while the FBI does not condone any prior unlawful drug use by applicants, the FBI realizes some otherwise qualified applicants may have used illegal drugs at some point in their past.” Currently, policy requires that applicants be drug free for 3 years prior to applying for employment with the agency.
