Twitter executives may not be the only ones getting high on the job. On the heels of Facebook investor Peter Thiel’s recent claims that Twitter’s alleged mismanagement is a result of “a lot of pot-smoking going on,” there is new evidence to suggest that—if true—Twitter employees are in good company. Nearly 10% of all Americans have shown up to work stoned—at least according to a survey of 534 working Americans by Mashable.com and SurveyMonkey.
Apparently this isn’t the first study to expose mind-altered states in the workplace. Last year, a small-business insurance company called Employers surveyed small businesses and found that about 10% of them had an employee show up under the influence of at least one controlled substance in 2013. Among these substances, marijuana came in at 5%.
Of course, different companies and industries have differing views on substance use in the workplace and many still drug test employees. Even in Colorado where recreational pot is now legal, employees who test positive for it at work can be fired. The many arguments against drug testing at work include the inaccuracy of the tests, the steep costs of conducting them, and the invasion of privacy. Also, studies show they don’t actually stop people from taking drugs. Clearly.
