Want a great job but don’t want to give up the herb? Whether a career is 420-friendly or not generally comes down to whether your employer will drug test you, and whether there’s any danger in showing up to work high. From the creative fields to tech jobs, here are nine cannabis-friendly career fields every Mary Jane enthusiast should consider.
1. Musician
Careers that involve nightlife and creativity let you smoke as much green as you want to. Being a musician combines both these attributes, making it a classic cannabis-lover career choice.
Wondering who else combined music and marijuana? The list is never-ending. Jazz (Louis Armstrong), country (Willie Nelson), rock (Jimmy Hendrix), hip-hop (Snoop Dogg) and pop (Rihanna) legends have all smoked a ton of weed, and risen to soaring heights in their careers, too.
Not only does the musician lifestyle—and lack of drug testing unless it’s court ordered à la Britney Spears—permit ample marijuana use, but the creativity required to write songs can come easier when you’re high.
Plus, when you’re famous, you have a platform to advocate for legalization without putting your career in danger.
2. Writer
Along with musician, writing is one of the most cannabis-friendly career fields. Writers generally work for themselves, meaning that they often have the freedom to work whenever they want, and in whatever mental condition they choose.
Plus, whether you’re self-publishing, working on book deadline or freelancing, it’s extremely unlikely that the publishing house or magazine you’re working for will drug test you. This means that most writing careers—journalist, stand-up comic, screenwriter …—are safe for those who seek artistic inspiration from marijuana.
Many authors who seek the artistic freedom are no stranger to the herb. For centuries, writers have been using marijuana for inspiration. From Hunter Thompson to 19th-century luminaries Honoré de Balzac, Charles Baudelaire and Alexandre Dumas, many of the world’s most famous writers have smoked weed. Even Shakespeare did … or so we’d like to think.
If you live in Colorado and are hoping to develop your writing with cannabis, there are even classes dedicated to that.
3. Web Developer or Computer Programmer
A job in tech may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cannabis-friendly career fields. However, a career as a web developer or a computer programmer can give you the perfect amount of autonomy needed to keep on smoking.
Many people who work in these fields either have their own web design companies or work as subcontractors. Typically, outside tech hires aren’t drug tested since they don’t fall under a larger company umbrella. And if you work for yourself, you can even blaze at work.
Plus, there’s little harm in being a little high while designing a website—it may even help you build something more innovative. Unlike other careers that involve heavy machinery, smoking weed while working in tech is relatively safe. As always, though, use your common sense.
4. Entrepreneur
Though you could invest or start your own business in any industry, its the independence typical of being an entrepreneur that makes it one of our most cannabis-friendly career fields.
The number one rule of owning your own company is that you make the rules. This means that if you don’t want to drug test yourself, you don’t have to. It also means that if you want to get high during the work day, no one can get you fired.
Being a self-employed entrepreneur means that you can use as much cannabis as your heart desires. It also means that you may need some inspiration to kickstart your next project.
Need more proof that weed and business are the perfect match?
Look no further than Richard Branson, Michael Bloomberg and Hugh Hefner, all of whom have admitted they’ve smoked weed
5. Restaurant Industry
The restaurant industry is notorious for substance abuse. This can range from alcohol and weed to harder drugs. The lack of drug testing, late nights and high-stress level make the restaurant industry the perfect environment for casual marijuana use (or, unfortunately, harder drug use).
There are many job opportunities in the restaurant industry that let you be creative and social. You can cook, serve, bartend or own a restaurant or bar, all while smoking as much weed as you choose (at least on your days off).
Additionally, there are many career options in the new world of cannabis cooking. Prominent chefs like Cat Cora are experimenting with cannabis-infused dishes. Additionally, the world of edibles, chocolate or otherwise, is blowing up in states with legal marijuana.
All in all, if you work in a kitchen, you’ll be that much closer to food when you get the munchies.
6. Real Estate Agent
Like many of the cannabis-friendly careers on this list, the benefit to working as a real estate agent when it comes to cannabis is autonomy and flexibility.
Most real estate agents work as independent contractors. Typically, agencies will hire real estate agents, but due to their independent status, real estate agents are seldom drug tested.
The one potential issue for pot smokers is getting your real estate license. Some states may drug test during the licensing process, so plan accordingly.
Afterward, you should be in the clear to start selling or renting out homes.
7. Entertainment Industry
Innumerable actors, directors, talk show hosts and on and offset creatives smoke weed, making it one of the most cannabis-friendly career fields, creative or otherwise, out there. Famous directors like Oliver Stone and Jordan Peele have vocally supported the herb.
Stone went so far as to appear on a High Times cover. In his interview, Stone told the story of getting charged for smuggling marijuana. He also described the benefits of smoking weed: “I’ve found it very enlightening. Some people don’t—they find paranoia and worry. I think if you can control your mind, if you contain it, you can make marijuana be a friend, an ally.”
Jordan Peele, who wrote and directed Academy Award-winning horror movie, Get Out, cites weed as his creative inspiration when writing the movie.
During his acceptance speech at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Peele explained marijuana’s role in creating the script. “I sat down, and I would smoke a little bit of weed while I try to write a mind-bending horror film,” Peele said
“At some point, I just followed the truth and realized there are people that are locked up for smoking less weed than I smoked while I wrote the movie.”
Marijuana seemingly comes with the territory, whether you’re working in Hollywood or on Broadway. This means that drug tests are unlikely, you’ll have a flexible (perhaps too flexible) work schedule. Working in a creative field, you’ll also be surrounded by other marijuana enthusiasts, some of whom are creating groundbreaking content.
Additionally, some of the funniest TV and characters are inspired by weed. Check out these classic cartoon characters and these hilarious weed-inspired TV episodes.
8. Fashion Industry
Though the fashion industry may have a rep for cocaine, it’s also one of the most cannabis-friendly career fields. Most importantly, drug testing isn’t as popular in the fashion industry as in other fields. No one is testing Karl Lagerfeld or Cara Delevingne for marijuana. And secondly, the fashion industry encourages creativity. Check out some of the latest high concept runway fashion. It couldn’t have happened without weed.
Today, the fashion industry is currently having a love affair with weed. While people used to perceive weed-themed clothing as controversial and cheap, cultural icons like Rihanna and Alexander Wang have brought marijuana-themed high fashion into the limelight.
Jobs in the fashion industry can go beyond designer and model. You could be a makeup artist, brand representative or event coordinator.
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