Secret Service Drops Rigid Cannabis Policy
The unique demands that the Secret Service is now facing requires an overhaul of existing policies, including its cannabis policy. The agency plans on filling 3,000 new positions to combat the rising need for more security at the White House, New York City and other locations. As part of the new plan, job applicants that have consumed cannabis in the past will no longer be barred from working in the Secret Service.
Randolph Alles, director of the Secret Service, announced the upcoming changes on June 1. The Secret Service is finally acknowledging that cannabis consumption is extremely common in America. Applicants who have consumed cannabis in the past will no longer be automatically disqualified from participating in the service.
“We need more people. The mission has changed,” Alles told CNN, referring to the increased number of terrorist-related events. “It’s more dynamic and way more dangerous than it has been in years past.” According to Alles, the president receives six to eight death threats per day, and that number has remained steady over the last decade.
Prospective agents who are 24 years old and younger, for instance, must abstain from cannabis consumption for at least 12 months. Prospective agents 28 years and up are required to be cannabis-free for at least five years. Loosening the standards will allow more qualified applicants to join the service. Alles plans on beefing up numbers from 6,500 employees to 7,600 within two years and to nearly 10,000 agents by 2025.
The Secret Service vows to protect the First Family, the vice president, the president-elect, the vice president-elect, former presidents and their families, presidential candidates and visiting leaders. After September 11, the Secret Service’s duties were expanded to include non-political events where large numbers of people congregate. The Secret Service has no control over where the President chooses to travel, but they are required to follow. Current job opportunities are listed on the Secret Service website are here.
