Applicant's poly-substance abuse, especially his abuse of marijuana (until January 1996) and LSD (until 1995), after having been granted a security clearance; his vacillating commitment to abstinence; the absence of substance abuse treatment; and his repeated willful falsifications in August 1995 and February 1996; in the absence of positive evidence of rehabilitation, raise grave questions and doubts as to his security suitability. Clearance is denied.

Applicant had used marijuana with varying frequency for more than 10 years; he had used it most frequently two months before his Administrative Hearing. While serving in the U.S. Navy, he had received an Article 15, UCMJ, for trafficking in LSD and was subsequently discharged from the Navy --- for the same misconduct --- before the term of his enlistment had expired. When he completed his NAQ in 1994, he withheld information about the Article 15, and admitted that he had smoked marijuana on only one occasion in 1986. During the first DIS interview, he admitted the circumstances of his discharge from the Navy, but denied again all marijuana use except for the single occasion in 1986. He finally admitted the full extent of his marijuana use during the second DIS interview incident to a polygraph examination. Clearance is denied.

drug involvement included dated use of mushrooms, LSD and cocaine which can be mitigated, but his use and purchase of marijuana continued for twenty-eight years from 1967 to June 1995, and his abuse of prescription drugs which continued to February 1996, and which might continue in the future, cannot be mitigated. His questionable personal conduct in understating his arrests as well as his drug use and purchases on his NAQ and initially to a DIS agent is another basis to deny along with his criminal conduct in making these knowing and willful falsifications plus a series of misdemeanors. On the other hand, he has largely resolved his financial problems which can now be mitigated. Clearance denied.

Applicant abused marijuana for the most part once every six months from 1982 to March 1996, cocaine ten times total from 1982/83 to March 1996, and experimented with LSD, peyote, psilocybin, and Valium prior to August 1993. He has been drug-free since working for a defense contractor and has no intent to use any drug in the future. Clearance is granted.

Applicant's drug abuse can be mitigated as his LSD and mushroom use is dated; his marijuana use ended in May 1995 before he joined his employer and for the past eighteen months he was demonstrated he will not use drugs in the future. While he falsified his drug abuse history on a security questionnaire in August 1995, he subsequently revealed all drug use and purchases to a DIS investigator voluntarily and before being confronted; additional interviews developed no significant inconsistent information. Thus, his criminal conduct with respect to the NAQ is isolated and will not recur. Clearance granted.

Applicant's drug involvement included limited use of cocaine in 1986, LSD in 1987-88, and hashish in 1985 to 1988, but his marijuana use continued for ten years from 1985 to October 1995, even after he had worked for a defense contractor. However, he did not have a security clearance then; and after he realized the security significance, he decided not to use marijuana in the future. He has abstained for ten months, his recent use was infrequent, and he has now demonstrated his intent not to use in the future. He performs well on his job and has the confidence of his supervisors who judge that Applicant is trustworthy and responsible. Clearance granted.

Applicant admitted that he had used marijuana frequently between 1983 and 1996; he also admitted that he had occasionally used cocaine, LSD, and amphetamines. When he was first interviewed by the DSS, he indicated that he may use illegal drugs in the future depending on his mood and the circumstances under which the drugs were offered. Although he later recanted his statement about future use, the credibility of the subsequent statement was undermined because in the meantime, he had also substantially revised his earlier statement concerning the frequency with which he had used marijuana and the date when he had last used it. Clearance is denied.

Applicant's regular use of marijuana for 5 years, until at least mid-1997, oftentimes on a daily basis; use of LSD 20 times during a 4 month period in 1995-96; the absence of any drug treatment or rehabilitation; and his initial unwillingness to abstain without conditions, raise grave doubts as to his security suitability and eligibility. Clearance denied.

Applicant's drug abuse started in 1991 with marijuana and continued until February 2001, including repeated use even after he applied for a security clearance and made a commitment to himself and the government to remain drug-free. In 1994-98 he experimented with a variety of other drugs and purchased and sold marijuana and LSD on a limited scale in college. Since his drug use other than marijuana as well as his drug purchases and sales were confined to his college days (1994-98) and not subsequently repeated, that involvement can be mitigated. But Applicant's marijuana use is too recent and extensive to demonstrate his commitment to avoid any drug use in the future despite his renewed statement of intent. Clearance is denied.

Applicant's drug abuse began in 1996 with marijuana, cocaine, LSD, and Valium during high school and during a period of family crisis as his parents' divorce was followed by his mother's death. While those difficulties do not excuse his drug use, those circumstances put it in context. He continued to use and purchase marijuana until July 2000 when he made a believable commitment to cease using any drugs. He now has a year of abstinence that is supported not simply by his own testimony, but also by his sister who has also noted his increased maturity, and by his manager who has noted his continual improvement at work which led to a recent promotion. Thus, I conclude he has been able to demonstrate his commitment to avoid any drug use for over a year and has had a subsequent clean drug test. Clearance is granted.