It’s no secret that the quintessential cannabis user, or in simple terms, stoner, is always marketed as the happy-go-lucky person with a giant smile on their face. In today’s culture of bringing your whole self to work, it begs the question, can cannabis use bring happiness? 

So many of my fellow professionals are already pushing against the antiquated systems of hustle culture and working our soul’s dry until it’s our turn to retire. We are questioning the 40-hour work week, the need to be in-office (especially after strict work-from-home orders), our retirement/savings plans and a lack of achievement of a healthy work/life balance. As we navigate and pave the way for younger generations to resist the status quo, I also take notice of my ever-expanding network of professionals in the cannabis space. Even under “normal” times, they appeared happier than other professionals in my network. Their ideals of having a healthy work/life balance and bringing their whole selves to work seemed to truly be the key.

Since I am not them, and can’t say for certain if their cannabis usage is a piece of the puzzle, I decided to dig into research. I myself, do not lead a “normal” work life and can only remember my office persona being very different from the person that I truly am. A censored more curated professional who never dared let her co-workers know that she was a cannabis user. That hidden piece of me is something that I regret, as it might have been better received than I anticipated. Embraced for my choosing to be 100% authentic rather than a slave to my desk as a perfectionist and sometimes closeted overachiever.

How Does Cannabis Affect the Body?

One thing I have learned over the years is how I feel physically and mentally when I am using cannabis regularly and when I have taken a few months break. Initially it was hard to tell because of how long cannabis stays in the system. But eventually my anxiety, insomnia and debilitating migraines left me worse for wear. My day-to-day mood shifted away from a general good disposition to one of grumpiness and irritability. My concentration was thrown off from a lack of sleep. And my heightened tense body from anxiety was doing a number on my appetite and muscles.  

“When looking at how marijuana affects the user’s body it can be illustrated on a chemical level. Anandamide plays a key role in why marijuana use results in increased happiness. It is a natural neurotransmitter and was discovered in the early 1990’s by Dr. Raphael Machoulam. These molecules play a role in memory, appetite, sexual drive, and emotion. Anandamide helps to regulate the body’s reaction to stress as illustrated in an experiment with mice. Subjects who couldn’t use anandamide chemicals had a harder time getting over stressful stimulus. Mice who could use their own natural molecules were able to relax given the same stimuli. Furthermore, those given THC also had an easier time getting over stressful stimuli like those who could use their own supply of anandamide. The THC found in marijuana is a reason many users feel more relaxed and happy on a chemical level” (Joyology, 2020).

Cannabis Users Healthier Than Their Counterparts

It is quickly becoming clear that cannabis usage can lead to an overall healthier lifestyle for those who suffer from mental or physical ailments made less prevalent through cannabis. Cannabis users, found through individual surveys across several states, are more apt to spend money more freely, volunteer more and spend more time out in nature compared to non-cannabis users. It would make sense that cannabis users living healthier lifestyles are the ones found to be happier. I can’t help but wonder if there is a link between cannabis usage and living a healthy, happy life. “‘Cannabis consumers are far removed from the caricatures historically used to describe them,’ said Linda Gilbert, head of the consumer research division at BDS Analytics. ‘In fact, positive lifestyle indicators like volunteering, socializing, satisfaction with life and enjoyment of exercise and the outdoors are highest among cannabis consumers, at least in Colorado and California’” (Meehan, 2017).

By embracing their cannabis usage, rather than stifling it as I did for many years, I’d like to believe that the professional who happens to be a cannabis user is in fact happier. We already know that those who confidently show up to work as exactly as they are perform better statistically speaking than those who hide away who they are. Through DE&I teams, the professional world is learning to accept and meet people where they are. Unfortunately, we do have quite a bit of time before one can confidently walk into the typical office setting in a more conservative state while on cannabis. But knowing that embracing that side of one’s self is beneficial, perhaps we will one day.

Based on what I have learned thus far, the secret to happiness and success is authenticity, maintaining a healthy work/life balance and including the thing that keeps me balanced and healthy mentally and physically in my professional life; cannabis.

Resources:

Joyology. How Does Marijuana Make You Feel Happy?. Joyology. 2020, November 10. https://www.joyology.com/happiness/how-does-marijuana-make-you-feel-happy/.

Meehan, Maureen. New Study Confirms Pot Smokers Are Happy, Well Adjusted and Successful. High Times. 2017, June 16. https://hightimes.com/health/science/new-study-confirms-pot-smokers-are-happy-well-adjusted-and-successful/.