[godfather dust]

I'm looking to take the dive into a career. I'm 27 and don't earn much. I have money to get a certificate in something (not enough for college.)

Many states allow marijuana use with a card. Due to federal laws, however, an employer doesn't have to honor this.

I love to smoke weed. If there are no careers out there for weed smokers I would quit, it's not that important, but that would not be ideal.

[Cattle Rustler]

Depends on the company, I know some tech companies do drug testing and some don't. There was a company I had a service contract that did not test, out of the blue one day they drug tested everyone, there were a lot of vacancies afterwards.

Anything industrial, expect to be tested, especially oil & gas due to insurance/safety concerns.

I used to work in healthcare before and they didn't drug test us at all. Perhaps an "location independent" gig can work since you don't have to be there.

[LouEvilSlugger]

Finance. I considered a career in investment banking a few years ago and my mentor was telling me how most of his coworkers had particulary nasty weed and coke habits.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

I'm the biggest pothead I've ever met. Even when hanging around with other heavy tokers, I always wanted more than anyone else.
I based many travel and living decisions on my access to herb.
I haven't touched herb in 7 months, not sure if I'll go back to it or not. I don't miss it, and my life has been getting better and better.
If herb is so important to you that it's a deciding factor in your choice of career...my honest recommendation would be to take a break from it and reevaluate where you are at. Maybe go for at least a month without smoking or vaping or medibles. Ideally, I think 6 months of sober focusing on health, exercise, self improvement, and meditation might teach you a lot, improve your life, and let you make a decision that will be one you are ultimately happier with. You would be really surprised just how different things are when you have been smoking for a long time and then transition to a different way of approaching life. I didn't expect it. I didn't do it because of any bible thumping or AA/NA or any crap like that either...so please don't get the feeling that I'm one of those guys trying to convert you to a cult or lecture to you. I'm merely trying to share my experience and make an honest recommendation.
You don't lose anything by trying, and you can always go back to the stoner lifestyle if that's what you still want at this stage in your journey.

[nomadiam]

Start an online business and work online. Smoke as much as you'd like.

[Kissinger2014]

How about working at a pot dispensary? Doubt they would care, and you could use your expertise to help people pick which variant is best for them. You might also get a discount.

[The Reactionary Tree]

Engineering. I have some friends who are engineers and they get baked all the time. I think they may have had to pass a drug test when they first got hired but it doesn't appear they are tested at random.

[Pinocchio]

online poker

[jake1720]

Be a geologist. I can confirm this is the most pot friendly profession out there.

Most likely you would get hired by an oil company to go look at rocks. Bonus points if you work in Colorado.

[BoiBoi]

(12-28-2014 07:04 PM)VolandoVengoVolandoVoy Wrote:  

I'm the biggest pothead I've ever met. Even when hanging around with other heavy tokers, I always wanted more than anyone else.
I based many travel and living decisions on my access to herb.
I haven't touched herb in 7 months, not sure if I'll go back to it or not. I don't miss it, and my life has been getting better and better.

Could you share what you did to quit? I've been smoking for more than 15 years and decided to stop since it hinders me more than it benefits me. I've been "clean" for a couple of days now, but I know that it'll be a long journey, so any piece of advice is appreciated.

[The Reactionary Tree]

I used to be a pretty big smoker too back in the day (smoke weed every day, several times a day). I just didnt like how it was making me feel towards the end. I was getting really paranoid. Also, now with my career, I could lose my job (I work in healthcare). So it was pretty easy to say goodbye to it. I like drinking better anyways.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(12-29-2014 06:04 AM)BoiBoi Wrote:  

(12-28-2014 07:04 PM)VolandoVengoVolandoVoy Wrote:  

I'm the biggest pothead I've ever met. Even when hanging around with other heavy tokers, I always wanted more than anyone else.
I based many travel and living decisions on my access to herb.
I haven't touched herb in 7 months, not sure if I'll go back to it or not. I don't miss it, and my life has been getting better and better.

Could you share what you did to quit? I've been smoking for more than 15 years and decided to stop since it hinders me more than it benefits me. I've been "clean" for a couple of days now, but I know that it'll be a long journey, so any piece of advice is appreciated.

Sure. The single most important thing is exercise. The second is nutrition. Think of these two things as the base that gives you the capacity to advance and improve.
After these two, the next most important thing is to keep your mind occupied by learning and thinking. I do this by always having a good book to read, and also by studying a language for a bit every day.
Another thing that's helpful, is to try out a new activity...could be going on a hike with a group, could be volunteering at a museum, could be salsa lessons, could be going to a concert you haven't been to before.
Essentially, what you are doing is satisfying the human craving for stimulation and stress relief in real life with real things, instead of taking the lazy route of quick satisfaction or numbness that drugs provide.
Oh, another thing to point out - if your social circle includes a lot of potheads, you may have to cut off contact with them, at least to begin with, and perhaps permanently. Otherwise you increase your risk of backsliding. This isn't as bad as it seems, you won't really want to hang out with someone watching Big Lebowski twice on a Sunday anymore. Plus, when you are out and about and active, you will make new connections and contacts in ways you can't foresee now.
Also, in general, the first few days are the hardest, just tough it out, drink water, meditate, think positive.
After that, after a couple of weeks it gets easier.
And before you know it, a month or two will have passed, and you won't even be thinking about smoking herb. You will experience significant changes in your mind and body...and provided you put in the effort, will have a much fuller life.

[Phoenix]

I assume you mean the US. For comparison, in Australia I've never witnessed any company testing for anything. Some companies will test for alcohol in rare instances if the job is safety sensitive, and for drugs in even rarer cases - but we're talking "driving a massive mining truck" here. And people out at the mines still risk taking drink and drugs, even though it's summary dismissal.

OT, I know a lot of people say "THC is safer than alcohol", but I actually have less respect for weed use than alcohol use. At least alcohol puts some life into people. THC just saps the life from them. Legitimately scares me.

[Laner]

Volando has already nailed it.

I smoked most days in my late teens early 20's. In my late teens I operated bulldozer and I smoked at work. I shake my head to think this now. I never smoked at work ever again.

Not knowing your circumstances, at 27 you should not be diving into a career based around the desire to smoke. Within my circle, the only ones who do not have anything going for them is due to the constant desire to smoke and be around people that perpetuate the belief. You should be doing everything possible to keep sharp and focused. Unless you are a doctor, you are late to the game.

The people who can maintain a solid career, keep moving forward, and keep sharp in the mind while maintaining a massive drug habit are less then 1%. However, the other 99% will argue this non stop. The delusion runs strong in addicts.

I am working with one of my best friends on this right now. 36yo, never a career. Not a dollar to his name. Will still smoke at every opportunity, although I did finally convince him to stop smoking at work. He just now has his first real job and loves it. Its all he talks about, he is going through what most men see in their early 20's.

Like most addicts, he holds every drug to the same standard. Its not a beer, its getting drunk.

My stance on this is: Once you smoke weed for the first time that day, you are checking out. It would be same as getting drunk. You are now intoxicated, and are not going to be able to perform as you had before. Having a drink is not equal to one bong hit. Same with one crack hit, one line, etc. This is why alcohol is not nearly the threat as drugs. Most people do not get drunk every day, but many have a drink.

[OGNorCal707]

Unless the Republicans re-take control of the White House for the next 2-3 elections and really push an anti-marijuana policy it's quite likely that we'll see pot completely legalized across the board on a federal level in the next 5-10 years. I know that's a little ways off, but I think eventually we'll reach a point where unless you are working in a super sensitive field, most employers won't drug test for thc.

[scotian]

^^^OG, I don't think that employers will stop testing for THC if weed is legalized, since they test for alcohol use (pre-employment and post-incident in the oil industry). Hopefully what they will use in the future, some companies already do, are saliva swabs to test for THC content in the body. Now, they do urine analysis and THC stays in your piss for up to a month, whereas with saliva swabs test for 48 hours previous.

[RockHard]

(12-29-2014 03:05 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

Unless the Republicans re-take control of the White House for the next 2-3 elections and really push an anti-marijuana policy it's quite likely that we'll see pot completely legalized across the board on a federal level in the next 5-10 years. I know that's a little ways off, but I think eventually we'll reach a point where unless you are working in a super sensitive field, most employers won't drug test for thc.

I have a friend in construction and he tells me that he doesn't care, but his insurance company requires him to do it. It's not even a legal thing, just something his insurance company wants. So you'd have to get insurance on board. From his perspective it's a pain in the ass. He loses something like 40% of his candidates to failed drug tests.

The advantage alcohol has is it's out of your system in a few hours. You can show up to work all haggard and hung over but blow a sober number, doesn't mean that you're still safe around heavy equipment.

[spalex]

Yeah Engineering is good. I have a pretty nasty coke habbit and it doesn't effect my work. Although my work was pretty lousy to begin with.
Almost every company I have worked for says that they will do drug tests. But in my experience, the only times I have been tested was for pre-employment medicals and when I was in the Army I got tested about 3 times a year (but if you have a mate who is a medic, he can give you a heads up and you can just call in sick that day).

[Goldin Boy]

(12-28-2014 04:35 PM)godfather dust Wrote:  

I'm looking to take the dive into a career. I'm 27 and don't earn much. I have money to get a certificate in something (not enough for college.)

Many states allow marijuana use with a card. Due to federal laws, however, an employer doesn't have to honor this.

I love to smoke weed. If there are no careers out there for weed smokers I would quit, it's not that important, but that would not be ideal.

I'm with VVV: You need to reassess your priorities if you want to build your career around smoking weed.

Do you have any musical talent? Most rap producers smoke.

Do what you want but there are cleansers on the market that you can take before a piss test and there's powdered urine and fake delivery systems but they won't help if you're randomly tested.

[samsamsam]

Drug dealer or pimp. Actor or porn star.

[SVK]

Software development. There is a lack of talent and unless it's a security clearance job nobody that I heard tests anymore. Lots of potheads in this industry.

[MY DETROIT PLAYAS]

Learn Guitar
Master the 88 keys
Learn the mixing board
--------------------------
Become a "Musician"

[Easy_C]

Gotta jump in with previous posters. Watch the entire damn video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP7fKSqv1bk

[username]

(12-31-2014 10:31 AM)Goldin Boy Wrote:  

Do you have any musical talent? Most rap producers smoke.

(12-31-2014 01:48 PM)MY DETROIT PLAYAS Wrote:  

Learn Guitar
Master the 88 keys
Learn the mixing board
--------------------------
Become a "Musician"

Musician seems to be the best option. This guy seems to do well:

[jimukr104]

I think private emplyers use urine tests. They don't go back that far.