Security Clearance if Used Controlled Substance

[RoscoeP]

Can a person obtain a SECRET clearance if they used controlled substances for a period of time when they had a SECRET clearance a number of years earlier, but have not had an incident for a period of over 15 years?

[dimas]

The clearance only usually goes back 7-10 years in your life.

15 years is a long time in the past and hopefully you learned from your mistake and the mistake was only a little one and not one in which you actually used drugs over a long period of time or actually used some of the harder drugs.

Seems like the question on your drug use 15 years ago probably wont' be asked.