Smoked pot? No problem! FBI drug standard lowered for hiring

[babylonsister]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-08-01-fbi_N.htm

FBI drug standard lowered for hiring


NEW POLICY

Under the FBI's revised drug policy, applicants are disqualified if they have used:

• Any illegal drug, other than marijuana, within the past 10 years or used marijuana for more than just "experimentation."

• Marijuana within the past three years or for a substantial period of time.

Source: FBI
By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Aspiring FBI agents who once dabbled in marijuana use won't be barred from getting a job with the elite crime-fighting agency, which has loosened its drug policy amid a campaign to hire hundreds of agents.

The bureau's pot-smoking standard, in place for at least 13 years, was revised after internal debate about whether the policy was eliminating prospects because of drug experimentation, said Jeff Berkin, deputy director of the FBI's Security Division. The policy disqualified candidates if they had used marijuana more than 15 times.

There was no public announcement of the change. It took effect in January. The decision comes as the FBI continues its hiring campaign and as law enforcement agencies across the USA grapple with high rates of disqualification based in part on applicants' past drug use.

Berkin said the previous policy was based on a scoring system that had become "arbitrary." He also said it created problems for applicants who couldn't remember how many times they had smoked pot when asked in polygraph examinations.

"It encourages honesty and allows us to look at the whole person," Berkin said of the revised policy. He said it was too early to tell whether the new standard has encouraged an increasing number of applicants as the FBI attempts to hire 221 agents and 121 intelligence analysts.

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[LoZoccolo]

1. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuhOj2dQTrk

[babylonsister]

3. Too cute!

:rofl:

Pretty hypocritical of our gummint, no?

[tanyev]

2. What's the matter?

Can't find any clean-cut young Republicans that haven't tried pot? Not even at Liberty, Regent, Bob Jones or Patrick Henry? I guess all of those grads are trying for something a little higher up the food chain than FBI agent.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. For some reason, I am reminded of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

[babylonsister]

6. Oh, proud,

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Where the hell did you find that little gem? :spray:

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. One of youtube's best, if you ask me

:)

[shadowknows69]

5. Sorry folks I'm joining the FBI

tried to get hired at Walmart but they still piss test.

[babylonsister]

9. Amazing, isn't this. Too bad I'm too old to join. nt

[NeedleCast]

7. Good

Smart move by the FBI. Their previous policy had placed so many people off limits for hiring in this day when smoking weed just isn't as socially taboo as it once was. I doubt more than 1 in 5 of my friends hasn't smoked weed at some point in their life. I smoked weed a few times as a teen and young adult and held a security clearance higher than most FBI agents will ever get access to.

[porphyrian]

10. I guess I'm still not going to be FBI. - n/t

[babylonsister]

11. I have to kick this because I still can't believe it. nt

[devilgrrl]

12. It's about time. Now perhaps, the NFL will leave Ricky Williams alone.

eom