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ISCR Case 24-00220 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-00220

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date7/23/2025
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Pamela C. Benson
Government Counsel: Brian L. Farrell
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 37-year-old senior manager employed by a Department of Defense (DOD) contractor, who sought a security clearance. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guideline H (drug involvement and substance misuse) due to the applicant's past use of marijuana and controlled substances. The applicant admitted to using marijuana from 2006 until April 2023 but was unaware that, despite its legality in his state, it remained illegal under federal law.
During the proceedings, the applicant acknowledged his past drug use and demonstrated a commitment to abstaining from illegal substances. He testified that he ceased all marijuana use after learning about its federal status and provided evidence of a negative drug test taken in September 2024. Additionally, he submitted character references attesting to his integrity and professionalism. The administrative judge found that the applicant had mitigated the security concerns by demonstrating a clear understanding of the laws regarding drug use and taking proactive steps to change his behavior.
Ultimately, the administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting him eligibility for access to classified information. The decision was based on the applicant's positive changes, commitment to remaining drug-free, and the absence of any recent drug use, which indicated that the concerns regarding his past drug involvement were sufficiently addressed.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · Withdrawn
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-00220

grantedJul 23, 2025· Hon. Pamela C. Benson· hearing

Summary

A 37-year-old senior manager for a Department of Defense contractor was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline H (Drug Involvement). Department Counsel withdrew the allegations related to Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The primary issue stemmed from the applicant's past marijuana and controlled substance use, which raised disqualifying conditions under Adjudicative Guidelines Paragraphs 25(a) and 25(c).

However, the applicant successfully mitigated these concerns. He demonstrated a clear understanding of federal drug laws and ceased all illegal drug use in June 2023, after becoming aware of these regulations. The administrative judge applied mitigating conditions under Adjudicative Guidelines Paragraphs 26(a) and 26(b), noting the applicant's commitment to a drug-free lifestyle.

Supporting this commitment, the applicant provided character references attesting to his integrity and submitted a signed statement of intent to abstain from all illegal drug involvement. The judge concluded that the applicant's demonstrated lifestyle changes and dedication to remaining drug-free aligned with national security interests, leading to the grant of eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant ceased all illegal drug use after becoming aware of federal laws regarding marijuana.
He provided character references supporting his integrity and commitment to a drug-free lifestyle.
The applicant submitted a signed statement of intent to abstain from all illegal drug involvement.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance

Mitigating

AG ¶ 26(a)appliedThe Behavior Happened so Long Ago, Was so Infrequent, or Happened Under Such Circumstances That It Is Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 26(b)appliedThe Individual Acknowledges His or Her Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse, Provides Evidence of Actions Taken to Overcome This Problem

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedApr 1, 2024
Answer filedMay 16, 2024
Hearing heldMay 1, 2025via online video teleconferencing
Decision dateJul 23, 2025

Cite For

Mitigation of Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Importance of Understanding Federal Drug Laws
Character References Supporting Integrity in Security Clearance Cases

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline E (Personal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The Department Counsel withdrew the single allegation under Guideline E, resulting in no findings against the applicant. The judge concluded that the applicant successfully mitigated concerns related to drug involvement under Guideline H, leading to a granted security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
2.a	Department Counsel withdrew Paragraph 2, Guideline E (personal conduct) of the SOR and the single allegation.	Unknown	Unspecified Personal Conduct	—	Unknown	—	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline E). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant successfully mitigated concerns regarding past marijuana use. The applicant admitted to using marijuana approximately once or twice a month from 2006 to 2023 but demonstrated understanding of its legal implications and took steps to abstain from future use, leading to a favorable decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant mitigated the Guideline H (drug involvement and substance misuse) security concerns arising from his past use of marijuana and controlled substances.	For Applicant	Marijuana	Occasional	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (c) illegal possession, cultivation, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or paraphernalia	(a) behavior happened long ago / infrequent / unlikely to recur (b) acknowledges involvement; evidence of action; established abstinence	Documented Abstinence Period Documented Claimed Substance Treatment Completed Documented Acknowledgment and Remorse

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline H). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.