11 Comments
 

while its true that some traders and brokers do use coke...adderral is more common for traders...because it lasts longer...and the effect is more in line with the job requirements...paying attention to flashing numbers on a screen for 10 hours straight, every day, can be difficult sometimes.

just google it...you're welcome
 

I work on a trading floor. From my experience, the traders are more like those described in Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis; extremely outgoing, force of nature personalities, and generally have a don't give a fuck attitude. With that said, I don't think any of them are chronic drug users, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

statistically...i'd say that 30% of off-screen brokers use coke..20% of traders use adderral...and 10% of traders use coke. A little higher than the avg population...but not that out of line....and not a majority.

just google it...you're welcome
 
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When I first started recruiting, one of the conferences I went to had a session on drugs and drinking. Through anecdotes, they shared that adderral is the drug of choice for most people in IB and that coke is something you do if you were born before 1970, or if your favorite rock group is still Motley Crue for some reason. They hammered it into our heads "Don't do addy! You pay for it later."

In reality, I'd say that what I've seen is 30% addy use, 20% coke use (the venn diagram of users is pretty much overlapping), and 5% other stuff. Weed was probably around 30% as well, but nobody cares about that. This includes my time in school, my current bank is remarkably clean.

 
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