Biden Admin Suggests White House Applicants Not Invest In Cannabis

The Biden Administration last December expanded its employee conduct guidelines to potentially deny security clearance to individuals who have invested in the cannabis industry, Politico reports. According to the document outlined by Politico, investing in the industry “could reflect questionable judgment and an unwillingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations.”

“Eligibility may be negatively impacted if an individual knowingly and directly invests in stocks or business ventures that specifically pertain to marijuana growers and retailers.” — Biden Administration presentation via Politico

While the Democratic Biden Administration may be more forgiving on cannabis-related among its workforce – previously stating that past cannabis use would not immediately disqualify applicants – intern applicants must continue to disclose any prior drug use, including cannabis, and dozens of White House staffers were asked to resign, suspended, or placed on remote work due to their prior cannabis use.    

The memo also warns potential staffers about CBD use, saying that products “labeled as hemp-derived that contain greater than 0.3 percent THC continue to meet the legal definition of marijuana … agencies should be aware that the Federal Drug Administration does not certify levels of THC in CBD products.”

“So the percentage of THC cannot be guaranteed,” the memo states, “thus posing a concern pertaining to the use of a CBD product under federal law.”  

A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told Politico that the memo “provides clarifying guidance to federal agencies charged with determining such eligibility” as “increased legalization of marijuana use at state and local levels has prompted questions on how the federal government treats an individual’s involvement with marijuana.”