Pubdate: Mon, 10 Oct 2005
Source: Charlotte Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2005 The Charlotte Observer
Contact:  http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/78
Author: Ted Bridis, Associated Press

FBI MAY CHANGE ITS DRUG POLICY

New Rules Considered For People Who Admit Past Marijuana Use

WASHINGTON - The FBI, famous for its straight-laced crime-fighting 
image, is considering whether to relax its hiring rules over how 
often applicants could have used marijuana or other illegal drugs 
earlier in life.

Some senior FBI managers have been deeply frustrated that they could 
not hire applicants who acknowledged occasional marijuana use in 
college, but in some cases already perform top-secret work at other 
government agencies, such as the CIA or State Department.

FBI Director Robert Mueller will make the final decision. "We can't 
say when or if this is going to happen, but we are exploring the 
possibility," spokesman Stephen Kodak said.

The change would ease limits about how often -- and how many years 
ago -- applicants for jobs such as intelligence analysts, linguists, 
computer specialists, accountants and others had used illegal drugs.

The rules, however, would not be relaxed for FBI special agents, the 
fabled "G-men" who conduct most criminal and terrorism 
investigations. Also, the new plan would continue to ban current drug use.

Current rules prohibit the FBI from hiring anyone who used marijuana 
within the past three years or more than 15 times ever. They also ban 
anyone who used other illegal drugs, such as cocaine or heroin, 
within the past 10 years or more than five times.

The new FBI proposal would judge applicants based on their "whole 
person" rather than limiting drug-related experiences to an arbitrary number.
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