Prior Drug Use

[Peabod]

I am trying to understand the USMC current drug policy for those who wish to enlist. The issue of marijuana use seems clear to me, but what about other drugs? I smoked marijuana about around 5-8 times I used mushrooms twice years ago and cocaine once, all with no police involvement. Drugs have been out of my "vocabulary" for a long time, they are a crutch for those with weak minds.
I will be upfront about my past drug use when I go to the recruiter (peace of mind), but do not want to waste his time either.
Can someone that is informed about this subject let me know what the policy is and if my past use is go no go?

Thanks in advance!

[BlackBelt]

If you tell him you may not be eligable any more and DONT DO ****ING DRUGS!!!:devious:

[Marine84]

Tell him! I had the same "problem" and it was no big deal. I messed up by continuing to smoke all the way til I shipped - had to get a waiver when I got to MEPS. As long as you don't pop positive after that, you're fine. Once you "belong" to the Corps there is ZERO tolerance for drugs.

[GySgtRet]

Your honesty is most appreaciated. Since your not mentioning your education background I assume that you are a high school graduate...??? I also assume since you are a high school grauate that you are under the maxmum age requirements. This is more than a social contact you participated in. So, being that said you probably will need two waivers one for the drug use and of for moral standards. It should not be a big deal and when you do showup at the recruiters office have your stuff together. The recruiter doesn't have the time to do the research on a admitted drug user. You will have to get a ETNAC and local police check done. You may or may nor qualify for a specific program based on your drug use. Just because you say there was no involvement with authorities doesn't mean anything at this point.

[ivalis]

drug use used to be a prequisite, ya were born 35 yrs too late. baa haa

[MACHINEGUN]

Unless you want your drug use to follow you your whole Marine Corps career you best keep your mouth shut. If you don't use anymore, why tell the recruiter about your past? Recruiters lie poolee. So why would you be honest with them about something that will ruin your chances of joining? If you tell your recruiter you smoked pot 7-8 times, snorted coke once and did shrooms a few times you won't be able to get waivers for all that and you will be turned down. Just some words of wisdom from someone who had to get a drug waiver for smoking pot one time before enlisting in the Marine Corps. In this kind of situation your honesty will do you no good whatsoever. It's better to not even mention it and stay clean for life. If not, the Marine Corps does have a zero tolerance policy and if you continue to use you will be caught. It's only a matter of time. Don't think you are slick and you can't be caught. I knew many Marines who thought that and they all got a big chicken dinner.

[Marine84]

drug use used to be a prequisite, ya were born 35 yrs too late. baa haa

LOL! Wasn't it though?

Just make sure you're up front about everything with everybody. If you lie you have to remember that lie all the time - if you tell the truth up front you never have to worry about it again and you won't ever have to try to remember what you told. It's nothing to be ashamed of - hell we've ALL done it at some point in our lives - at least tried something that we shouldn't have. We're a curious breed.

I was up front with mine (Manuel Pierre Beasley - you Playboy sock wearing cuss - I should have known something was wrong when I saw them socks) - I told him that I had smoked weed the night before I came to see him - he said "no you didn't" - then he told me to pick a year, month and date and that was the answer I was supposed to give for the next four years. Granted I only held it for the 9 months I was in DEP and even still did it until the day I left for MEPS. Right before they swore us in for that last time (and the one that counts) the Marine Liason asked if we were sure that we hadn't done ANYTHING that we weren't supposed to while we were in DEP and I cracked - I raised my hand and told him I had been high the night before. He asked what branch I was going in (my MEPS station was an Army base) and when I told him the Corps, he just shook his head and told me to fall out. I had to give them names of 3 people back home that would give character references on me and my recruiter had to call them. I had to stay another night at MEPS and go through the whole speal again the next day. Needless to say, my waiver came through about 10 minutes before I was to get on the bus to Parris Island. But I was free and clear of having to worry about it after that - I'm sure I popped on the 1st quiz you get when you get there but I didn't have to worry about it because I told the truth. I stayed clean and didn't have to worry about it later.

If anything comes up with anything you've not told up front about yourself, it looks bad on YOU - NOT your recruiter - all they'll do to him is slap his hand cause he'll swear he didn't know anything about your prior drug use. He'll still be in the Corps and you'll be kicked off MCRD without the Title.

Depends on how bad you want that Title, I guess.