Stoner Analysts?
I smoke weed everyday, has been this way since 2nd year of college, other than my semester abroad and summer analyst stint.
I live in an area where its fully legal, and while I'm not going to the office high (would be too paranoid under the lights anyways), everyday when I leave I smoke after the uber home, eat my dinner, and wfh, kinda helps me enter the flow state when deep in models and such, then its a nice sleep until the next morning, been doing this for a year now.
Recently discovered that a lot of my co-workers, and friends at other banks are similar, where even if they dont smoke everyday, almost all of them would consider themselves as regular recreational users, more than alcohol. While I didnt outright ask them, I feel like this is a divide between the juniors and seniors of the current generation of bankers, seen by the overall drop in GenZ drinking alcohol, and more recreational users in legalized areas.
One of my friends even told me theyll sometimes eat an edible, or smoke through a flavored vape during an afternoon break, then come back to the office, similar to a happy hour buzz. While I guess this is legal, and hes not drug tested, I feel like this is a dangeros game as an MDs reaction to someone being drunk at 7pm on a Wednsday, vs High, would be different.
Any other juniors active smokers? Do you feel like it impacts you in any way?
To seniors, how do you feel about this? I feel like drinking / bar culture is a traditional part of the junior experience.
How far are we from happy hour bong seshs?
Me. I get a lot of shit on this site but I'm usually just stoned while chirping how serious everyone is in finance. Chill the fuck out, and understand the last 15 years were a MASSIVE bubble fueled by zero interest rates and $25 trillion in foreign investments coming to the US. It will never happen again and most people can expect maybe half what they were budgeting for in this career path.
Yea its crazy that drinking daily, coke 2-3x a week (sometimes more) is so normalized, or even encouraged to the point no one bats an eye, but smoking 0.5gof weed per night is outlandish.
At the end of the day, were working the same kinda things that any avg 9-5 corporate employee does, just alot faster, with more volume, and longer hours/stress, why not use a substance thatll chill us out instead of keeping us tweaking and wired?
Go home at midnight and no CIMs longer than 10 pages.
Any negative cognitive issues you've noticed through sustained use? I cut back because I was paranoid it was making me less "sharp" due to it messing with my REM sleep..
Same here, I found myself having brain fog the morning after smoking or taking an edible
I feel like this is a given. Usually takes a few hours of being up to clear the fog. Even when I don’t smoke but don’t sleep well I get like this. I’ve been a social smoker for like ~6 years (with period of more frequent/ less frequent use) but I try to only smoke once or twice on weekend just to keep myself “sharp” during the week
Did some research into this at uni as I would skip class to smoke every day and would only quit ahead of exam season and summer internships, which led me to worry if my chronic use would permanently affect my performance.
Short answer is yes and no.
True cognitive decline only happens when you start smoking early with the earlier you start, the greater the harm. Starting at 16 was equivalent to a lifetime drop of ~5iq points (which would absolutely be detrimental if you pursue a career in high-finance / law / medicine - assuming you are above average intellectually 115-120IQ. Beyond 1SD, that 5iq nerf would not be detrimental to your career outcomes and at 2SD would probably be slightly beneficial, except in the case you pursue academia).
However, sustained use does stack up acute harms, impacts your hippocampus reducing your capacity for learning/memorising (although this impact is temporary to the period you are high, sustained use will decrease your overall capacity even when not high). Decreases grey matter especially in your prefrontal cortex, making you more impulsive, and worsening decision-making/self-control. Desensitises your reward pathway, making you more time-inconsistent, less motivated and productive, and worsens attention deficits. These are the most pressing cognitive consequences with sustained use; however, 90 days of abstinence will resolve most of these and ~1.5-2y of abstinence will take you back to baseline (even for the most heavy long-term chronic users).
Cognitive harm is based on the age you start:
13 - 16: Absolutely detrimental, significantly increases the risk of psychiatric disorders, harms brain development, lowers IQ
16 - 20: Still detrimental (as the brain is still in the later half of its primary development), however significantly less harmful than starting 16y, low single digit decrease in IQ (younger obviously being higher)
20 - 25: Earliest I would recommend someone to start smoking (majority of primary brain development is behind you), immensely unlikely to develop any permanent harms
25-30: Generally safe to start at this age (primary brain development over, only downhill from here in terms of brain performance even with abstinence tbh)
30+: If you have a history of psychiatric disorders like bipolar or schizophrenia and are absolutely set on trying weed this is the safest age band. This is also the age I would recommend trying weed just for the experience if you have not beforehand, responsible use (very acute) may actually slow down the pace of cognitive decline due to its activation of underused pathways leading to creative/novel thinking (however, in this case I would preferentially recommend psilocybin especially if smoking is your primary form of ingestion with weed)
Overall, I am neutral on short-term or infrequent use and if used with purpose e.g. recreationally (to destress), sleep (short-term insomnia), or to manage pain etc. In this case, I would say weed is more beneficial than harmful. However, chronic or habitual use is absolutely harmful and in most cases, harms more than it benefits. At this stage, it's better to seek a behavioural psychologist to develop positive stress/coping strategies and seek perhaps an ADHD diagnosis, as you may be self-medicating with weed without noticing (my case).
I have severe ADHD and anxiety/ depression from child abuse. I managed it ok until my 40s. When I decided to quit drinking I was unable to sleep. My doctor put me on a bunch of pills, and it wasn’t working. Trazadone in particular caused me to wake up with night sweats, fall out of bed, have crazy dreams, etc. When I brought it up he asked if I’ve ever tried weed. I had but never enjoyed the feeling of being high. He said just take an edible before bed, and it’s been game changing. I go to sleep right away and stay asleep, which has never been a part of my life going back to grade school. I live in a state where it’s legal.
If it works for you then go for it. There are people who can't get stuff done when they smoke and there are people who can. Sounds like you can.
Personally, I can't which is why I do not partake as much. That does not mean that I look down on people who can and do partake more than me. I have so many friends that actually get more done when they smoke. You would get along with them lol
Believe me, this is common even where it isn't legalised.
Active smoker.
I just counteract the daily penjamin rip with a 12mg Zyn, and maybe Vyvanse for good measure
Quidem et est voluptatem. Temporibus odio ut itaque nihil dolor corrupti. Velit a incidunt culpa est. Voluptates doloribus ex distinctio repellat. Asperiores sit labore nostrum harum qui consequatur omnis qui. Sequi aut maiores officiis velit enim aut fugiat voluptas.
Consequatur molestias nemo et ut sed quis. Aut facilis accusamus consequatur quam. Aut omnis ea vero eius voluptas. Totam error totam et maxime placeat voluptas. Qui sit recusandae eos nisi. Fugit non earum voluptates et accusamus aut. Magni sint rem qui atque aut omnis animi.
Ex quis rerum earum aperiam repellendus enim. Vero repellendus laboriosam repellat iusto cumque et facilis. Praesentium non et aut. Autem minus incidunt ratione inventore velit repellat.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...