Yo, what up my peeps? It’s your boy Dan coming at ya with some hot news from the University of Michigan. So, it turns out that more than a third of software programmers enjoy a little Mary Jane while they’re on the job. Can you believe it?
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Where are all these techies lighting up? Well, let me tell you, the top five areas with the most tech employees are the SF Bay Area, NYC, DC, LA and Seattle. With an estimated 1.4 million employees in these areas (give or take a layoff or two), it’s no surprise that weed is more abundant than oxygen in some of these places.
Take NYC for example, they’ve got over 1500 unlicensed stores (and that’s just the ones we know about!). Then you’ve got California and Washington which are both legally recreational states. And let’s not forget about DC – they say you can buy anything there. Some people even say that Atlanta, Boston, Austin, Raleigh and Denver are the real hubs for cannabis use – but they only employ about 41% of the top five. Plus, Atlanta, Raleigh and Austin are in states where recreational use isn’t legal.
The thing is, all of these top five areas have a younger population with plenty of stuff to do. There’s diverse food, vibrant nightlife and entertainment options galore! You can hit up climbing gyms, outdoor activities and multiple music options in any of these cities. No wonder so many programmers are getting high while they work.
I talked to this one dude who works in Seattle (he wants to remain anonymous), and he said “I’d probably attribute it to high levels of use at tech industry making them pick up the habit quickly. Also, some strains of weed has the effect of hyper focusing – you tend to make connections between things really well (sometimes connections that don’t exist), also, it gives you a child like focus where you can completely forget everything which doesn’t really happen as adults.”
You hear that? Apparently, some strains of weed actually help you focus better and make crazy connections in your brain. Sounds like a superpower if you ask me.
But here’s the thing, some companies have anti-drug policies in place. And get this, 29% of programmers have taken a drug test for a programming job. That’s wack! It’s limiting the pool of talented developers out there who just happen to enjoy a little green while they work.
Even the federal government is starting to chill a little bit when it comes to drug testing. Agencies like the CIA and FBI are adopting more lenient rules regarding past marijuana use among job candidates. I mean, if you’re a programmer and you love to smoke, why would you want to take a job that pays less, has few benefits and doesn’t offer potential stock options? That’s just common sense.
So there you have it folks. The tech industry is blazing bright with cannabis use. And who knows, maybe one day it’ll be as normal as drinking coffee at work. Until then, keep on coding and puffin’ away!
