Queensland Police Service will start taking recruits who admit to having used marijuana The Queensland Police Service will start accepting as recruits people who have admitted using marijuana. PIC: Berman Daniel Source: Supplied THE Queensland Police Service has begun accepting recruits who have experimented with marijuana and has not ruled out forgiving admissions of party drug use. Recruiting guidelines have been revised, now allowing people to apply for a job in policing if they have used cannabis in the past. Police rejected 3022 applicants - or more than two-thirds - between 2008 and 2012. The majority of the rejections were for "integrity" matters, including drug use admissions. For the first time it can be revealed how the changed standards will work. Applicants who admit to minor use will be measured against four criteria - the classification of the drug, the age at the time of use, recency of use and extent of use. Heavy users of marijuana and those who have experimented with other drugs will still be banned. Information obtained under Right to Information laws, and confirmed by recruiting manager Inspector Phil Barrett, shows the Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security also recommended showing leniency for party drugs. Insp Barrett said the QPS took a conservative approach and only relaxed guidelines for classification 1 drugs (marijuana). But Insp Barrett said that in the future, as drug use in the community increased and attitudes changed, people who once tried a party drug may also be accepted. He said he did not know when community views on party drugs would change. "The community doesn't expect that we would knock back a person who, 20 years ago, had a puff on a joint at a party when they were 17," Insp Barrett said. Young recruits prone to violence: report RTI documents also reveal that CEPS recommended that the QPS consider drug testing police who advised at the time of admission that they had used drugs. "It is further recommended that QPS conduct a rigorous evaluation study involving police behaviour . . . in addition to considering targeted drug testing with those who make an admission of drug use throughout the selection process," a QPS summary document said. Insp Barrett said drug testing was not considered because of the minor change to allow for past, minor marijuana use. In a submission to the QPS board of management on November 20, 2012, the service's human resources executive director sought backing for the changes to recruiting. "The revised integrity standards address contemporary police recruit demographics, in particular the increased rate of traffic infringements and illicit drug use disclosures by police recruit applicants," the director said. Formal responses have now been received from the Crime and Misconduct Commission and CEPS providing agreement with the proposed drug disclosure and traffic offence approach to keep pace with societal and demographic changes.