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I was wondering... I am about to take a polygraph test in a few weeks. However, I left out a minor confession on my application about my drug history....
I said in my BI application that I have never used any drugs. But in fact at the age of 14 I used marijuana only once (over 12 years ago); which of course isn’t a big deal. (According to the department's requirements, using marijuana experimentally less than 15 times, more than 5 years ago is not disqualifying. )
Why did I not state my 1 time drug use? I worried, maybe unnecessarily, that because my application is for a federal agency--In the future when I compete to move to an agency with a stricter drug policy: I may automatically be DQed for my 1 time use as a minor. I probably shouldn't have hid the fact but it's too late to change now.
Anyway, know I have not done anything else that can even be minutely construed and "wrong". But since getting the notice to appear for my polygraph, I have been getting anxious, reexamining my life history over and over and over again. And this issue for all stupid and not so stupid reasons is just circling my head.
I want to ask any of you experts including the polygraphist, honestly, would showing up to my test and stating in my pretest that I did use pot once DQ me because it differs from my Background Investigation application? I have nothing else to hide.
I ask including the polygraphist because I feel if they have confidence in their profession, then my honesty is something that they would appreciate, not tear up. Or would my revelations just be taken as supposed "deception"?
I would understand how career polygraphist would hate counter measures but I have read the book TLBTLD. Like most people who have nothing to hide, I want to be honest on my test. But would I, if I confessed to something that isn’t normally grounds for disqualification (like smoking pot once 14 years ago instead of 0 times like I said), because of inconsistencies setting myself up for a disaster?
If it were, I might as well continue my denial and even use CMs if necessary.