Almost 1 in 10 Americans Go to Work Stoned

It happens every morning. The piercing sound of the alarm clock starts going off, signaling the start another day. The snooze button becomes our new favorite thing and after slipping back to sleep a few times, the inevitable can no longer be denied — it’s time to get up. For some people, getting dressed, having breakfast and getting out of the door on time is a top priority. But there are others, who require another thing before they can truly be ready to head out: a quick smoke before work.

It’s a common scene in homes all over the United States and a new study conducted by Survey Monkey for Mashable confirms it. The group surveyed 534 adults about their use of various substances and according to the findings of their research, about 9.74 percent of Americans have gone to work high on pot. While the study may have included some participants from states like Washington and Colorado where adults can legally consume cannabis, 81 percent admitted to illegally purchasing marijuana.

Workplace policies set by the U.S. Department of Labor don’t require employers to drug test their employees, although private employers are allowed to test for substances if they feel compelled to do so. Despite commons myths, studies have shown that marijuana doesn’t make you stupid and smoking can produce a number of benefits from boosting moods to eliminating pain. Perhaps employers should consider how smoking might actually be helping their employees through an otherwise difficult day of work.

Do you smoke before work? Have you gone to work high before? Let us know in the comments.