The Federal Aviation Administration is developing new marijuana-related fitness-for-duty standards for pilots and air traffic controllers, citing operational risks tied to the federal government's cannabis rescheduling.
According to a report from 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 review comes after an April order from the Justice Department shifted state-regulated medical marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, a move the FAA says has created regulatory misalignment and growing normalization of cannabis use among safety-sensitive workers.
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.
Travel advisors should note that airport and TSA rules on carrying marijuana remain unaffected by this workforce-focused review, which centers on crew and controller fitness for duty rather than passenger policy.
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