# What's Actually Legal for an Employer to Ask in a Job Interview?

> The answer is drug or tobacco use — legally permitted interview questions, while age, family status, and disabilities are off-limits. Texas barber exam question.

Canonical: https://fadejunkie.com/practice/business/interview-questions-drug-tobacco-use-permitted  
Last updated: 2026-08-11

**The answer is whether you use tobacco. Drug or tobacco use isn't a protected category, so it's fair game for an employer to ask about.**

Age, whether you have kids, and any disability you have are all protected categories — an employer isn't allowed to base a hiring decision on them, so those questions are off-limits in an interview. Drug and tobacco use sit outside that protection, and an employer can even make agreeing to a drug-testing policy a condition of getting hired.

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