FBI HIRING

In a fit of common sense, the FBI is considering a change in its
hiring policies when it comes to drug use.

Under current agency rules, an applicant is disqualified if he or she
used marijuana within the past three years, or more than 15 times
ever. Anyone who used other illegal drugs within the past 10 years or
more than five times is also out.

The shift would not apply to FBI special agents -- investigators in
the field -- but only to " intelligence analysts, linguists, computer
specialists, accountants" and others, The Associated Press reports.

Even former drug czar Barry McCaffrey supports the reform. "There
should be no hard and fast rule that suggests you can't ever have
used drugs," he said. "As long as it's clear that's behind you and
you're overwhelmingly likely to remain drug free, you should be eligible."

Indeed, arbitrary standards make no sense and handcuff the FBI from
hiring perfectly qualified people because of meaningless youthful
indiscretions. Besides, what about alcohol, which can be as
destructive as any illegal substance?

"Recreational marijuana use is a fact of life nowadays," Mark Zaid, a
Washington lawyer who has represented people rejected for FBI jobs
over drugs, told The AP. "It doesn't stop Supreme Court justices from
getting on the bench and doesn't stop presidents from getting
elected, so why should it stop someone from getting hired by the FBI?"

He's right.

But a larger issue, here, is the hypocrisy of the drug war.

Drug use is obviously bad and too often turns destructive. But there
are millions of productive citizens who have partaken in illegal
substances. There are FBI officials and other law enforcement
personnel in positions of power who used illegal drugs -- suffered no
ill consequences -- and now prosecute people doing the same.

If the FBI wants to reform its hiring policies to reflect this
reality -- as it should -- agency officials should also acknowledge
that setting aside resources to pursue nonviolent drug offenders,
when voters in several states have OK'd medicinal marijuana, is a waste of time.