FAA To Weigh New Rules for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers

Ahead of the official rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, the FAA is preparing to put pilots through fitness-for-duty standards for pilots and air traffic controllers, citing operational risks tied.

Per Marijuana Moment

The agency’s Office of Aerospace Medicine has partnered with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on a series of closed-door meetings during the next year to examine drug testing methods, cognitive monitoring, and how long impairment lasts after cannabis use. Experts on detectability, pharmacokinetics, and policy will be among the invited participants.

The FAA is not a fan of rescheduling and believes the change can “create regulatory misalignment and growing normalization of cannabis use among safety-sensitive workers.”

As of now, the current Department of Transportation drug testing and FAA medical certification rules remain unchanged. Pilots, air traffic controllers, and other safety-sensitive employees still cannot use marijuana without risking disciplinary action.

The agency expects the review process to shape new policy within 12 to 18 months.

For now, current Department of Transportation drug testing and FAA medical certification rules remain unchanged, and pilots, air traffic controllers, and other safety-sensitive employees still cannot use marijuana without risking disciplinary action. The agency expects the review process to shape new policy within 12 to 18 months.