Last month, the Transportation Research Board published details of an FAA-funded project to review cannabis use among pilots and air traffic controllers. Current policy already prohibits marijuana use by pilots and other safety-sensitive aviation employees covered by DOT testing rules.
Why the FAA Is Studying It
The existing rules establish what covered individuals may not do, but the FAA says it lacks validated criteria for determining when impairment has ended after cannabis use. The review will examine how long the effects may last, how that period varies among users and how test results relate to operational fitness.
The agency said it wants scientifically supported standards that could guide screening, medical certification and return-to-duty decisions.
Federal Cannabis Policy Is Changing
Earlier this year, the federal government moved FDA-approved marijuana drugs and marijuana covered by qualifying state medical licenses from Schedule I to Schedule III. Schedule I is the federal category for substances considered to have no accepted medical use. Schedule III recognizes accepted medical use and a lower potential for abuse.
Recreational marijuana remains in Schedule I while a separate federal proceeding considers moving the broader category to Schedule III.
That split created what the FAA research record calls a dual-status regulatory environment. The FAA says that mismatch could complicate disclosure and compliance as cannabis becomes more widely available.
Expert Meetings Planned
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will hold four closed expert meetings during 2026 and 2027. Participants will consider recent and cumulative use, impairment duration, detectability, cognitive screening and operational risk.
“The meetings will include relevant experts on impairment evidence, pharmacokinetics and detectability, operational risk translation, and policy framing,” the National Academies said.
The meetings will not produce a public report, though the FAA expects the work to support policy development over the next 12 to 18 months.
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