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ISCR Case 24-02307 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 24-02307

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

Case Profile
Decision Date12/22/2025
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Erin C. Hogan
Government Counsel: Cassie L. Ford
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 30-year-old individual seeking a security clearance to work for a Department of Defense contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons citing concerns under Guideline H, Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse, specifically alleging that the applicant had used marijuana from September 2013 to July 2023, including while holding a security clearance, despite knowing it was illegal under federal law.
The applicant admitted to the allegations in the Statement of Reasons, acknowledging his marijuana use during the specified period and his last use in July 2023. He expressed regret for his actions and stated that he intended to abstain from future use of marijuana, emphasizing a change in his priorities and commitment to his career goals. However, he did not provide additional evidence to mitigate the security concerns raised by his drug involvement.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that the security concerns under Guideline H were not mitigated. The judge noted that the applicant's admissions and the nature of his drug use raised significant questions about his reliability and trustworthiness, particularly given that he continued to use marijuana while holding a sensitive position. The judge emphasized the importance of adhering to federal law regarding drug use and the need for a clear pattern of abstinence to mitigate such concerns.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-02307

deniedDec 22, 2025· Hon. Erin C. Hogan· hearing

Summary

A 30-year-old Department of Defense contractor was denied a security clearance under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) due to a prolonged history of illegal marijuana use. The Statement of Reasons specifically cited marijuana use from approximately September 2013 to July 2023, including an instance in July 2023 while the applicant held a sensitive position. These actions raised disqualifying conditions under Adjudicative Guidelines paragraphs 25(a), 25(c), and 25(f).

The denial was based on several factors. The applicant admitted to a long history of marijuana use, including while in a sensitive role. Furthermore, he continued using marijuana even after submitting his security clearance application, which the judge viewed as a lack of serious commitment to abstaining from illegal substances.

Ultimately, the judge determined that insufficient time had passed since the applicant's last marijuana use to confidently conclude he was committed to a drug-free lifestyle. Despite the applicant's acknowledgment and expressed regret, the security concerns were not mitigated, leading to the denial of his security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to a long history of illegal marijuana use, including use while holding a sensitive position.
The applicant continued to use marijuana after submitting his security clearance application, demonstrating a lack of seriousness about abstaining from illegal substances.
Insufficient time had passed since the applicant's last use of marijuana to conclude he was committed to a drug-free lifestyle.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(f)raisedIllegal Drug Use While Holding a Sensitive Position

Key Rule Quoted

“The clearly consistent standard indicates that security determinations should err, if they must, on the side of denials.”
— Department of the Navy v. Egan, 484 U.S. 518, 531 (1988)

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedMay 22, 2025
Answer filedJun 13, 2025Applicant elected a decision on the written record.
Hearing heldDec 22, 2025Decision issued.
Decision dateDec 22, 2025

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Illegal Drug Use Under Guideline H
Importance of Compliance with Federal Law Regarding Drug Use
Insufficient Evidence of Commitment to Abstain From Illegal Substances as a Basis for Denial

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 H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant used marijuana with varying frequency from September 2013 to July 2023, including use while holding a sensitive position in July 2023. The applicant admitted to the allegations, but the judge concluded that this conduct raised significant concerns regarding national security, resulting in a denial of eligibility for access to classified information.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant used marijuana with varying frequency from about September 2013 to about July 2023.	Against Applicant	Marijuana	Frequent	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (c) illegal possession, cultivation, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or paraphernalia	—	Claimed Acknowledgment and Remorse
1.b	Applicant used marijuana in about July 2023, while holding a sensitive position.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Occasional	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (c) illegal possession, cultivation, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or paraphernalia (f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	Claimed 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.