Drug Testing

General Discussion for SMART Scholarship Recipients
weeds

Drug Testing

Post by weeds »

There are some posts about this from 2013 and 2010, but was wondering does every SF drug test these days?

Answers

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Answers »

weeds wrote:There are some posts about this from 2013 and 2010, but was wondering does every SF drug test these days?
Every facility (more like supervisors, etc.) reserves the right to force you to perform a drug test at any given moment, if I remember correctly. I do not believe every SF does a test, but they all can request one.

2012_cohort

Re: Drug Testing

Post by 2012_cohort »

They will drug test during the initial investigation, 100% of the time. Active drug use is disqualifying for a security clearance. If you're a user and they find out during the investigation, you will not get a clearance. If you're a past but not current use and you lie about it in the investigation and they find out, you will not get a clearance. If you're a user and they find out after you're hired, you'll lose your clearance and get fired. And they will find out, especially if you're submitted for TS or SCI.

Basically, save yourself the trouble.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

I never got tested at Edwards, but they did do random checks.

OkThen

Re: Drug Testing

Post by OkThen »

Guest wrote:I never got tested at Edwards, but they did do random checks.
You must not have a TS clearance. It is required for all TS clearances. Anything lower is SF dependent and even then, it is supervisor dependent.

Honestly, if people are worried about drug tests, they probably shouldn't be doing government work since their job will be at risk at any moment.

guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by guest »

2012_cohort wrote:They will drug test during the initial investigation, 100% of the time. Active drug use is disqualifying for a security clearance. If you're a user and they find out during the investigation, you will not get a clearance. If you're a past but not current use and you lie about it in the investigation and they find out, you will not get a clearance. If you're a user and they find out after you're hired, you'll lose your clearance and get fired. And they will find out, especially if you're submitted for TS or SCI.

Basically, save yourself the trouble.
What about past users (not user, experimenter), if they do not lie would they still receive clearance since it was past and sporadic activity?

Past experimenters that do lie, how would they find out, if it was years ago.

What type of drug tests and how long does it test back to? Opportunities shouldn't be taken away because of what you did when you were 16.

Cases

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Cases »

I was curious about this so I went and started reading some cases where this kind of stuff came up among other stuff (some of these cases are super interesting). You can lose a security clearance at basically anytime if you violate something or omitted drug use among other things (lots of other things). Now generally, if you lie on the form you don't get it. If you lie on the form but then tell the truth when they talk to you then it depends. There are different levels of drug use, and depending on that level/frequency you are supposed to be off of that drug for a certain amount of time. If you did it like twice when you were 16 literally no big deal. Also they take into account any reasons, your age, and if you sign a form that says you won't do it and Wil do random drug tests. So yeah.

guest999

Re: Drug Testing

Post by guest999 »

Let's be honest: weed should be legalized and we all know it. We get it. However, it isn't.

With this reality in mind, to squander a job opportunity over marijuana use would be mind blowing. Just don't fucking smoke dude. Life has plenty of other wonderful (non-psychedelic) activities to replace marijuana with. You'd best proceed under the notion that if you're in government, you're going to be tested at some point.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

Ok, so, I totally get that weed is not federally legal. However, I live in a state where it is legal. I was wondering if someone could tell me when to expect a drug test. From what I've read on here previously, you apply for security clearance after moving on to the second half of the application process (around early feb). I would really appreciate it if someone could verify this information for me. Thank you.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

Guest wrote:Ok, so, I totally get that weed is not federally legal. However, I live in a state where it is legal. I was wondering if someone could tell me when to expect a drug test. From what I've read on here previously, you apply for security clearance after moving on to the second half of the application process (around early feb). I would really appreciate it if someone could verify this information for me. Thank you.
I haven't stayed up to date on the latest info, but state legality has pretty much nothing to do with the ability of the federal government to enforce drug tests. At no point in the federal process can you test positive and it be okay.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

Guest wrote: I haven't stayed up to date on the latest info, but state legality has pretty much nothing to do with the ability of the federal government to enforce drug tests. At no point in the federal process can you test positive and it be okay.
I totally get this, that is not my question. I'm not looking for judgement, just a straight answer about at which point the drug test takes place.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

Guest wrote:
Guest wrote: I haven't stayed up to date on the latest info, but state legality has pretty much nothing to do with the ability of the federal government to enforce drug tests. At no point in the federal process can you test positive and it be okay.
I totally get this, that is not my question. I'm not looking for judgement, just a straight answer about at which point the drug test takes place.
For me it had to be done within some short period (like a few days or a week) of accepting my offer. There were also random tests on base where you'd have to go to medical that day. Was never called, but they do do them.

guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by guest »

SFs can test anyone with a clearance at any time, but the frequency at which they do so is really variable based on the SF. I personally have never been tested at all (for anonymity I'll give a range- I've been with the DoD between 7-11 years and am a retention candidate). That being said, I have coworkers who have been "randomly selected" four or five times within a 2-3 year period. As far as I can tell there was no clear reason for their selection, they were not suspected to be drug users on any level.

For the security clearance, if you just randomly experimented a few times and you are honest about it they typically give you a stern talking-to but it is still fine as long as you are honest and contrite. I honestly disclosed on mine that I had used marijuana a small number of times and they called me to discuss it and to remind me that it was federally illegal, but overall my clearance went through smoothly.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing

Post by Guest »

guest wrote:
2012_cohort wrote:They will drug test during the initial investigation, 100% of the time. Active drug use is disqualifying for a security clearance. If you're a user and they find out during the investigation, you will not get a clearance. If you're a past but not current use and you lie about it in the investigation and they find out, you will not get a clearance. If you're a user and they find out after you're hired, you'll lose your clearance and get fired. And they will find out, especially if you're submitted for TS or SCI.

Basically, save yourself the trouble.
What about past users (not user, experimenter), if they do not lie would they still receive clearance since it was past and sporadic activity?

Past experimenters that do lie, how would they find out, if it was years ago.

What type of drug tests and how long does it test back to? Opportunities shouldn't be taken away because of what you did when you were 16.

The short answer is "it depends". I've had my TS for 5 years now and I've been drug tested many times. Depending on the drug you have used in the past and how long ago it was they will make a determination. There is not set yes for this or no for this. (As far as I know) I have no idea what they test for or how far back the test goes. I can't image it's super far back though. Pretty sure they are urine tests, at least that's what I've always been given.

They will find out because they show up to at all of your past residences, schools, and employment. They ask about you and *someone* will say something.

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