(Uncleared) and Confused: Drug Use Confusion Trips Up Young People

There’s no question that marijuana use is up. 21 states have now legalized recreational cannabis use, along with the District of Columbia. For many young people today, marijuana consumption in college is as ubiquitous as alcohol consumption, including in states with a strong aerospace and defense population, like Colorado and Arizona.

Conventions around marijuana use may have shifted, but federal laws haven’t. That makes ongoing drug use an issue for security clearance applicants. And that leaves many wondering if the path to a national security career is going up in smoke for an increasing number of applicants.