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ISCR Case 25-00298 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 25-00298

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/20/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Eric H. Borgstrom
Government Counsel: William H. Miller
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 26-year-old auditor employed by a Department of Defense contractor, who sought a security clearance after being granted eligibility for a public trust position in October 2022. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons citing security concerns under Guideline H, related to drug involvement and substance misuse. The core allegations included the applicant's admitted use of marijuana from August 2017 to February 2024, including while holding a position of public trust, and his expressed intent to continue using marijuana in the future.
The applicant admitted to using marijuana monthly during college and confirmed ongoing use, stating he intended to use it recreationally unless instructed otherwise. He acknowledged that his marijuana use occurred while in a public trust position but believed it was permissible under state law. In his response to the Statement of Reasons, he claimed to have ceased all marijuana use since December 31, 2024, and expressed a commitment to a drug-free lifestyle. However, he did not provide documentary evidence to support his claims or demonstrate a clear commitment to abstain from future use.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that he did not sufficiently mitigate the security concerns related to his drug use. The judge noted that the applicant's marijuana use occurred while he held a sensitive position and that his admissions indicated a lack of commitment to abstain from future use. The ruling emphasized the importance of compliance with federal law regarding controlled substances and the potential risks associated with the applicant's behavior, ultimately denying his eligibility for access to classified information.
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. 25-00298

deniedJan 20, 2026· Hon. Eric H. Borgstrom· hearing

Summary

A 26-year-old auditor for a Department of Defense contractor was denied a security clearance under Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The applicant, who held a position of public trust, faced allegations related to his marijuana use. Specifically, the Statement of Reasons cited his use of marijuana while in a public trust position, his admission of current marijuana use, and his stated intent to continue using the substance. He also denied any illegal drug use while possessing a security clearance.

Disqualifying conditions under Guideline H were raised, including concerns about drug involvement while in a position of public trust, current drug use, and a lack of intent to discontinue such use.

The denial was based on the applicant's admission of ongoing marijuana use while in a public trust position and his expressed intent to continue using marijuana unless specifically instructed otherwise. This demonstrated a lack of commitment to abstain from illegal drug use. Furthermore, the applicant did not establish a pattern of abstinence or disassociate himself from drug-using environments.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to ongoing marijuana use while holding a public trust position.
He expressed intent to continue using marijuana unless instructed otherwise, indicating a lack of commitment to abstain from illegal drug use.
The applicant did not establish a pattern of abstinence or disassociate from drug-using environments.

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 Granted Access to Classified Information
AG ¶ 25(g)raisedExpressed Intent to Continue Drug Involvement

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for access to classified information is denied.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedApr 16, 2025
Answer filedJun 2, 2025Applicant requested a decision based on the written record.
Hearing held—
Decision dateJan 20, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Ongoing Illegal Drug Use Under Guideline H
Lack of Commitment to Abstain From Illegal Drug Use as a Disqualifying Factor
Impact of Marijuana Use on Eligibility for Positions of Public Trust

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 while in a position of public trust and admitted to current marijuana use with intent to continue. However, the applicant denied any illegal drug use while holding a security clearance. The overall outcome was a denial of the application for a security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant used marijuana while in a position of public trust.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Frequent	Admitted	(f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	—
1.b	Applicant admitted to current marijuana use and intent to continue using marijuana.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Frequent	Admitted	(f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	—
1.c	Applicant denied any illegal drug use while possessing a security clearance.	For Applicant	Unspecified Drug InvolvementWHILE CLEARED	Unspecified	Denied	—	—	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.