Smoking marijuana in between cleared jobs remains a violation of federal law and can jeopardize your security clearance, even if you are temporarily unemployed or changing contractors. But with all security cleared related topics, it’s nuanced and depends on your specific situation.
One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber writes:
“Hoping to get some insight into my situation. I held a secret clearance and worked in a cleared capacity from Jan 2021 – June 2022. I left my cleared role and went to grad school. While in grad school, at the recommendation of my doctor, I got a medical card and smoked medical marijuana twice a month for about 2 years from September 2022 to December 2024.
In December 2024, I stopped smoking marijuana and got rid of my card, both for career reasons and because the marijuana wasn’t helping me very much and more so hindering me. When I left my job, I had no intention of returning to cleared work. I know it was a bad decision, I understand even though I had a medical card it is still federally illegal, I intend to be fully honest and have never and will never use it while cleared or in the future.
I am currently interviewing for a job requiring DOE L. I am wondering if my two years of abstinence mitigates, and if it is going to be construed as a larger problem as I previously held a clearance. I have literally no other issues (no foreign contacts or debt issues or criminal history). Any input is appreciated”
Key Security Clearance Rules on Marijuana
The federal government still classifies marijuana as an illegal Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state-level legalization or medical prescriptions.
| Active vs. Inactive Status | Your security clearance (or eligibility) does not “turn off” between jobs; adjudicators evaluate continuous adherence to personal conduct and criminal conduct standards. |
| Federal Law vs. State Law | State recreational or medical cannabis laws do not apply to federal security clearances or employment. |
| SF-86 / Reinvestigations | You must report all illegal drug use on future background investigations or periodic reinvestigations. Lying or concealing use is an immediate ground for clearance denial ( under Personal Conduct). |
| Intent to Continue | Using marijuana while “between jobs” can signal to an investigator that you lack reliability, judgment, or the willingness to obey federal laws. |
Risks and Consequences
Adjudicators assess drug involvement under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). Most cleared contractor and government roles require an active or interim clearance. Losing eligibility terminates your job qualification. To mitigate past drug use, applicants typically need to show a clear and established pattern of stopping (two years since use is pretty good), remorse, and a firm intent not to use again. Using it recently, even during a gap in employments, resets or harms that timeline. Some agencies are stricter than others. But if that’s your only issue, mitigating factors are in your favor.
Marijuana use should be disclosed on the SF-86 in the section covering illegal drug use within the past seven years. Applicants will need to provide details about the type of drug, when they used it, and how frequently. The form also provides an opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding that use, which can be particularly helpful if it was experimental, infrequent, or occurred several years ago.
The biggest mistake applicants can make is assuming that leaving out past marijuana use will improve their chances of obtaining a security clearance. In reality, a lack of candor can create a much bigger adjudicative concern than the drug use itself. Honesty and transparency are critical components of the security clearance process.
Applicants may also be asked to discuss their marijuana use during a background investigation interview. Their responses should be truthful and consistent with the information provided on the SF-86. Investigators may seek clarification about the circumstances, frequency, and whether the applicant intends to use marijuana again. Ultimately, adjudicators evaluate the whole person, and demonstrating honesty, good judgment, and accountability can go a long way toward addressing concerns about past behavior.
