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So you want to work with weed do ya?

A helpful list of things to know if you are considering a job in the cannabis industry (Or just curious.)

By JR StinePublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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So you want to work with weed do ya?
Photo by Wesley Gibbs on Unsplash

As cannabis becomes legal more and more places around the world there seems to be a growing fascination with the industry. Having worked at a production warehouse for about a month now (So basically an expert.) I feel I have enough knowledge to give a 411 on what its like working on the production side of the curtain. Hopefully this article will answer some burning questions any curious minds have out there and if you're actually thinking about getting into the business give you a heads up about what to expect.

Did someone say free?

Let’s start off with the first question I usually get, “do you get free weed when you work there?” The answer is yes, quite regularly in fact. The reason isn’t because the marijuana business is some sort of bohemian communist paradise though. It actually has to do with quailing control, like any manufacturers our products need to be tested and who better than the people working on them. While free products are regular (Usually something everyday.) they are not insanely numerous and are limited to the things we make, (Joints, cartridges, shatter etc…) and usually appropriately sample sized. With the amount of free stuff I get honestly I haven’t even thought of going to buy any cannabis products in store.

Numbers numbers numbers

The environment at work is pretty chill, standards not hard to meet. However you should be prepared to keep track of everything you do, I keep a sheet of paper with a record of everything I’ve done that day and how much. This is used not only to track our performance but to keep track of our products movement. This is a necessity not only from an output perspective but because the government highly regulates the marijuana industry and companies or you as an individual can loose your license to work in the industry if any Mary Jane is unaccounted for or mislabeled.

Immaculately clean

While the image of a lazy messy pothead is omnipresent in our culture, our factories are anything but. Everything is wiped down, sweeper, or otherwise cleaned daily. Strains are never ever allowed to even touch (For fear of cross contamination.), meaning a thorough cleaning of your area is required before you can transition from one strain to the next. This gives the place the feeling of lab almost as much as a factory and messy workplaces are grounds for firing.

know your climate

This leads me to another important tip, dress appropriately for whatever environment you’ll be working. For example, I work with joints all day so our area of the facility is kept cold so the weed doesn’t dry out. Meaning I regularly dress like I’m going whale hunting. However the area the cartridges are made is warmer on account of the machines they use letting those lucky bastards come in wearing shorts mocking us with their bare legs... The point being, dress smart.

Did you hear that?

For some reason when I came in for my first day I imagined the place being filled with mellow funk music as workers grooved out next to a lava lamp until the end of day. A silly idea I know. The reality is much noise as you will be surrounded by machines, there constant hum forever ringing between your ears. This is why I’d recommend headphones or earbuds that have atleast a limited noise canceling function. My job is great in that we can listen to music or an audio book and as long as we are response, their is no problem from management. Having the dual benefit of midigating hearing loss and keeping us entertained.

Coming in high...

Another question I often is, "Do they let you come in high to work?" The answer is actually yea. In fact taking a hit or two before work or during your break is a regular accruing phenomenon. There is even a desiginated place for to people to blaze and is a usual sight during lunch or on our 15. That being said we are still expected to maintain a level of respectability and perform our jobs efficiently regardless of one’s status. While a delicate balance it is not an insurmountable tight rope to walk.

Requirements

The last thing I'd like to mention are the certifications. While every state is different you will probably have to get some kind of certification to work with the green. Don't worry though its pretty easy, usually a test with such riveting questions as, "What do you do if someone underage tries to buy marijuana?" and a background check, and uploading a valid ID. I've heard mixed things on if companies will pay for your certification (Mine did.) so that is defiently something to look into before taking the leap. The nice thing is once you've got certified its yours to keep so if you want to transfer to your skills to another employeer or want to try out something else you can without having to go through the process again.

In conclusion working in the cannabis industry can be a wonderful experience, as a burgeoning industry it could be a great potential career path or a fun job to pay the bills. Something to tell the grandkids about one day.That being said it is not for everyone and I hope that by reading this you are a little more enlightened as to what goes on behind the scenes. Also if you'd like to know what my first day on the job was like click here. As always I appreciate you reading to till the end.

culture
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About the Creator

JR Stine

Just your average working dude with a passion for the written word. Working on a book but always looking for free lance work in between. Hope you’ll stop by and take a gander at what I’ve got to offer.

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