Are stoners more likely to end up working in certain professions?
The title of this article might sound familiar to you, as we recently highlighted a survey that was meant to measure the number of cannabis consumers in each occupation, and we’ll talk about that in a second, but today we’re taking a look at the results from a more curious angle. It’s certainly nice to have estimates like these, as they help us to see how quickly the acceptance of the plant has grown. Unfortunately, they don’t tend to tell the whole story, which leaves the reader to interpret the data on their own. That is why here, we want to clear a few things up about which likely came first, the job or smoking weed.
The survey
We’ve just covered a survey in our article titled “Top Ten Professions Most Likely to Indulge in Cannabis” where the number of cannabis consumers was measured through a survey that revealed how certain industries seem to have higher numbers of workers who enjoy smoking pot. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a fun idea to prove how normal it is to enjoy getting high turned into a little bit of a heated debate.
Are these folks working a specific occupation because they use cannabis?
Out of the thousands of workers who were surveyed, the higher amount is a staggering 30% of all retail workers admitted to smoking pot. This got some naysayers thinking, “could this possibly be fuel in the fight against loosening restrictions on cannabis?” Are those people who like getting high more apt to end up in retail because they aren’t able to get a better job, as the age-old stereotype might suggest? For some, that is exactly what the results of the latest survey reveal, but we’ve got a better, far more likely theory, and it’s that the record level of cannabis use in retail is probably caused by the job.
An important and left out fact
Everyone has a focus on the very first bit of the survey results, where media agencies highlighted the fact that one of the lowest-paid and least respected industries is filled with people who like smoking pot. A statement that seems to suggest that cannabis is responsible for such a poor outcome where careers are concerned, but what hardly anyone is talking about is how the media ranked number two with only a fraction of a percent fewer cannabis consuming workers. Most of us look at these agencies as successful and financially profitable, and yet they’re smoking just as much weed as their lower-paid neighbours.
Is the choice to use cannabis linked to stress in an occupation?
It’s really easy to get caught up in some of the well-known stereotypes surrounding cannabis use and it’s potential to wreak havoc on individuals whose to indulge, but what is far more likely in this case is that the high-stress lifestyle pushes these workers to seek some sort of reprieve. Stocking store shelves and talking with customers might not seem like terrible work, but financial insecurity, unpredictable hours, and angry people are also “perks” of this type of occupation. It hurts to spend 8+ hours a day on a concrete floor, and it’s definitely not the most fulfilling job either.
Now you might be wondering how this could possibly relate to the media industry, but the truth is that while most of these folks show off with a smile, the majority are rushed off their feet anytime they’re working on a project. Be it from travelling, multiple takes, frustrated coworkers, or tight deadlines, in many ways, people working in media deals with many of the same high demands as those who work in retail, so it makes sense that both parties would use cannabis as a way to cope with the stress, lack of sleep, and general need for rest.
So, while it does seem to be clear that people who work in these lines of work smoke pot in large numbers, there is no reason to assume that one was able to rise to success while another was less driven to seek better things from consuming the same cannabis. If anything, it’s a perfect example of how useful this plant can be for addressing some of the many problems the people in society face today, without pharmaceuticals.
