The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing how long pilots should wait after using cannabis before reporting for flight duty, as the agency weighs an impairment standard in a regulatory gap created by changing federal treatment of the drug. The issue centers on pilot fitness, medical certification and compliance rules across U.S. aviation, with no crash or incident at the heart of the review.
The inquiry comes as the FAA assesses how existing prohibitions on flying under the influence should apply when cannabis carries different legal and medical classifications. That dual-status problem has made it harder to define a clear waiting period between off-duty use and operating an aircraft.
For operators, any FAA finding could shape crew scheduling, training, drug policy and medical certification practices. It may also prompt airlines and flight departments to tighten internal guidance on cannabis exposure before duty, even before any formal rule change emerges. The agency has not issued a final policy decision, leaving the matter as an ongoing review.