Report: White House Issues New Marijuana Guidelines to Fill Key Positions

The Biden administration issued new marijuana guidelines on Friday to quickly “fill key White House positions.” Recreational marijuana use has been an unexpected hurdle for the White House’s personnel department.

According to the report, “Transition officials quickly identified recreational marijuana use as a potential hurdle for applicants, especially younger ones, in meeting that requirement.”

Though marijuana use is legal in a growing number of cities and states, it’s still illegal under federal law and is therefore a potentially disqualifying factor in obtaining security clearances.

After what one official described as “intensive consultation with security officials” and the Personnel Security Division, “the White House will now, on a case-by-case basis, waive a requirement that potential appointees in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) be eligible for a ‘Top Secret’ clearance.”

The report also noted, “a waiver would only be granted to those who have used marijuana on a ‘limited’ basis and who are in positions that don’t ultimately require a security clearance.”

Any individual granted that waiver must, in turn, agree to cease all use of marijuana for the entirety of their government service and agree to random drug testing. Those employees would also be required to work remotely for an unspecified period following their last acknowledged use of marijuana.

“President Biden is committed to bringing the best people into government — especially the young people whose commitment to public service can deepen in these positions and who can play leadership roles in our country for decades to come,” a White House official said in a statement to NBC News.