Want to Smoke at Work? Be an Artist

First, I would like to note that I am not here to argue the legality of weed in the work place. I am very much an advocate of both medical and recreational marijuana. That being said, there are definitely a few career paths in which you should not be smoking at work. For example, a surgeon should not be getting high to operate. One minor slip-up could lead to the loss of another human being. However, if a cook at McDonald's is stoned, the worst that could happen would be an error in my meal. Although that's annoying, I'll survive. So, the question to be asked is, "What job allows you to be stoned and productive?" And no, I am not talking about bud trimming at a dispensary. I am talking about art.

I have been making money as an artist for at least five years now, and I'm using more than one medium. My day-to-day job is as an art manager at a custom print shop, I do freelance graphic design, am a recording artist, and I sell merchandise with my own creations. The best part is that I do all of this while extremely baked. But I don't just sit on my ass. I get so much done from my desk in the clouds. Let me explain how...

To start, it is true that I have a high tolerance because I have smoked for so many years. I used to go to school and do all of my work while under the influence, so when it was time to get a job, I had some experience. With that said, I have friends who do not have a high tolerance and are still capable stoners during their shift. I just think it helps. The main reasons weed is just a boost for my job is because it helps with creativity, dealing with problems, and working with clients.

The creative part is obvious. When I'm stoned, I am able to think so far outside the box, it's as if the box never existed. I can take people's ideas and turn them into an outstanding masterpiece all because I was able to look at the project with a different state of mind. Because of this, I have gotten to do projects for some awesome clients, one being the National Guard. I first worked with them over the internet and sent them their proofs. After receiving them, they wanted to move further and get the art on some shirts and signs, so we scheduled a consultation.

I had a lunch break right before the meeting. Needless to say, I blazed a blunt and forgot to wash my hands. Then, I walked into that meeting room, I shook their hands, and I introduced myself. Their response was so positive it didn't even matter how dank I smelled. I just kept hearing, "Lucas! We love your work."

The next reason weed helps my productivity is because I am able to handle the pressure better. If I was sober, I would get stressed at my job. The due dates always seem like rush jobs, and the clients are always so off the wall that I get pissed off. But when I'm high, it's no big deal. I just take it for what it is, fix it, and move on. This works with curve balls, such as print errors that an artist would have to fix on the spot. When you're not planning to do something, it can derail a whole day. But if you're calm and collected about the situation, it is handled quickly.

Being that this is all from my experience, I am unsure if that is just my personality or not. After clients start to argue with me, sometimes I want to get ready to fight a mother f*****, but no one wants to fight when they're lit. They just want the irritants to go away.

Now, the only reason I believe this to be true is because I tested it. I did a week of working high, then sober, then high, then sober for four weeks. The two sober works were the most overwhelming and stressful working situations I have been in. I started yelling and throwing shit when clients would ask for changes or when coworkers tried to pull me away from my desk. However, stoned Lucas was positive and ready for anything. So, after this back-and-forth month, I have decided to continue smoking at the office.

In an 11-hour shift, I take a minimum of five smoke breaks a day. Then, I come home. Home is where I make the art I want to do for fun. This can be psychedelic doodles, comic sketches, or actual songs that I write and record. After spending a day making art for other people, it's good to relax and make art for yourself. What better way to do so than with a nice Raw rolled tightly to perfection? Since this is the life I have chosen for myself, I have made an actual living off of my art manager position. My freelance merchandise and music have added extra income to my pocket while paying for my weed every month. This way, I can steadily smoke without throwing myself into debt, and I still have a nice career going for myself, and they all revolve around the same thing... cannabis and creativity.