Summary
A 27-year-old defense contractor employee was denied a security clearance under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) due to an extensive history of illegal drug use. The Statement of Reasons detailed marijuana use and purchases from approximately 1986 to late 1995, alongside two arrests in State A for marijuana possession and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in 1994 and 1996.
The applicant also used and purchased cocaine from the summer of 1991 to at least January 1996, with usage as frequent as almost daily in 1994. This cocaine use led to work performance issues and a three-month suspension from his employer in May 1994. Although he received counseling for cocaine dependency from June to September 1994, he subsequently used cocaine in February 1995 and January 1996.
Despite some efforts toward recovery, the judge found the applicant's considerable history of substance abuse, drug-related arrests, and convictions raised significant concerns. The claims of abstinence were deemed insufficient due to their relatively short duration and the lack of ongoing support from a treatment program, leading to the denial of the security clearance.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant had a considerable history of illegal substance abuse, including regular marijuana use and heavy cocaine use over several years.
- The applicant's drug-related arrests and convictions raised significant concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness.
- The applicant's claims of having turned away from drugs were deemed insufficient due to the relatively short duration of his abstinence and lack of ongoing support from a treatment program.
Conditions Referenced
- DC 1raisedAny Drug Abuse.
- DC 2raisedIllegal Drug Possession, Including Cultivation, Processing, Manufacture, Purchase, Sale, or Distribution.
- DC 3raisedFailure to Successfully Complete a Drug Treatment Program Prescribed by a Credentialed Medical Professional.
- MC 1rejectedThe Drug Involvement Was Not Recent.The applicant's last drug use was in January 1996, which is not sufficiently distant to mitigate concerns.
- MC 3rejectedA Demonstrated Intent Not to Abuse Any Drugs in the Future.The applicant's assurances of future abstinence were not supported by a long enough period of sobriety.
Key Rule Quoted
“A decision to grant or continue an applicant's request for security clearance may be made only upon a threshold finding that to do so is clearly consistent with the national interest.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedOct 3, 1997
- Answer filedNov 1, 1997
- Hearing heldJan 21, 1998
- Decision dateMar 19, 1998
Cite For
- Significant History of Illegal Drug Use as a Basis for Denial Under Guideline H
- Insufficient Evidence of Rehabilitation Despite Claims of Abstinence
- The Importance of Ongoing Support in Recovery From Substance Abuse for Security Clearance Eligibility.