Feds Think Cannabis Use Jeopardizes National Security

Just in case anyone was unclear that the federal government is on the wrong side of the fence concerning cannabis, the Department of National Intelligence recently issued a statement reminding all federal employees that at no time and under no circumstances are they allowed to use cannabis, even if they are residents of states that have legalized recreational cannabis or if they are authorized medical marijuana patients.

This time, they are touting a claim that federal employees are jeopardizing national security if they use cannabis. Here’s the clause from the edict:

“The Department of Justice issued guidance…making it clear that no state can authorize violations of federal law, including violations of the Controlled Substance Act, which identifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled drug. Moreover…[it] specifically prohibits a federal agency from granting or renewing a clearance to an unlawful user of a controlled substance or an addict, and under federal  law,  use of marijuana remains unlawful. Last, [federal guidelines stipulate] a drug-free workplace and drug-free federal workforce, and expressly states that use of illegal drugs on or off duty by federal employees in positions with access to sensitive information may pose a serious risk to national security and is inconsistent with the trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.”

I’m reminded of the days when the anti-cannabis campaign was in full swing and we were told that smoking marijuana was funding terrorism or Colombian drug cartels and that your average everyday stoner was personally responsible for all the drug violence on earth (prohibition was the problem, not cannabis). Now they say that even using American-grown reefer in a state that has made it legal puts our national security at risk? What kind of cannabis are they talking about? Is there some hyper-strong sativa out there called “Truth Serum” that incapacitates the user to such a point that any question asked of them will be given full disclosure? Of course not.

The modern American stoner is not a top secret assassin privy to government secrets. Look, the federal employee with his hand on the nuclear launch button should probably not go to work stoned (though I don’t really care if he got ripped after his shift). But most government employees don’t have that kind of power at their fingertips. The janitor at the federal building in Colorado or Washington is jeopardizing national security by simply possessing cannabis? It’s a hard sell for me.

Frankly, I think this is evidence that the feds are simply just running out of believable reasons to keep cannabis illegal. Legal cannabis doesn’t kill people, it doesn’t lead to heroin use, it doesn’t fund terrorist cells half-way across the globe. Pot espionage has got to be close to the bottom of the BS barrel, right? What’s next? Is cannabis going to be classified as a weapon of mass destruction? Is Social Security as we know it going to vanish a little more with each bong hit?

This is simple lunacy. I’d sincerely like to see them try and enforce this rule and drug screen the 4.1 million federal employees across the states. I have a friend who works fairly high up in the Seattle Mayor’s office and he was told on his first day that even though weed is legal in Seattle, coming to work stoned is not allowed. That’s it! I think the feds could learn a little from Seattle and simply issue a statement saying, “Just like drinking alcohol on the job is prohibited, so is using cannabis. Come to work sober.”

And that points to another issue with this statement. I think alcohol use poses a far greater threat to national security than marijuana use, pot might make you a little forgetful or disorganized, but it really doesn’t abolish your inhibitions the same way booze does. Don’t believe me? Poll your friends and ask them how many regretful one-night-stands they’ve had due to getting too stoned.  Department of National Intelligence, indeed!