Question:
I was just wondering if the medical exam involves testing for
recreational drugs (esp. marijuana). I know this can stay in the
body for extended periods of time. Should I carry on not smoking, or
would the occasional joint be cool with my medical some time in the
next 3 months?
Answer:
If you do use marijuana, the medical exam is the least of your
concerns, immigration-wise. I don't think the medical exam tests for
it anyway, but if you are -ever- caught with marijuana, you will be
deported. While for most crimes, you are only deportable if the
maximum sentence for the crime is one year or more, in case of
drug-related crimes, this rule does not apply. Almost any drug-related
crime makes you automatically deportable. If you had acquired US
citizenship in the meantime and it comes out that you used drugs
before, it's well possible that you would even be stripped of the
citizenship, and then deported, because you would have acquired
citizenship fraudulently.
With respect to recreational drugs, US immigration law is extremely
harsh.
I have to admit that I am not happy about that, and find this law
indefensible - but nonetheless, that's the way it is on the books. The
only advice I can give you is to completely stop smoking "the
occasional joint" at least until you are a US citizen. For US
citizens, of course only the standard penalties apply.
Go ahead and continue smoking and buying your weed. If the US public is
lucky, you will be arrested for buying and possession and as such you
will then be inadmissible as a permanent resident.
What are you talking about, Ingo?
Don't you know of a certain Presidential pot-smoking draft-dodger who got away
with just about everything?
