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Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
The CIA has a strict drug policy regarding illegal drug use or the misuse of prescription drugs. Their policy states that you cannot have used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs in the last 12 months to qualify for a security clearance. They also reiterate that although some states have legalized marijuana, federal statutes prohibit federal agencies from granting security clearances to users of controlled substances, including marijuana. Describe if you have ever used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs and when. The CIA will carefully evaluate the use of drugs in the previous 12 months during your medical and security processing, so you must be completely honest.

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
If you are applying to the CIA, it is best to avoid drugs altogether. If you have used drugs in the past, it is required that you wait at least one year from the last time you used or misused drugs before putting in your application with the CIA.

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"Yes, five years ago, I was given ecstasy once in college. I had a headache, and a classmate told me that it was ibuprofen. I ended up in the emergency room, where they discovered what I had been given, and my classmate was arrested. I have never been the type of person to do drugs and have never willingly tried them. I do not take prescription medications and have never misused any."

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"No, I have never tried drugs or been prescribed any medications. My father has a history of alcoholism and drug abuse, and I knew that I did not want to follow his path."

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Written by Krista Wenz
35 Questions & Answers • CIA

By Krista

By Krista