"pot use in Silicon Valley... is lower than average. I've seen ... employees openly smoked pot in the office, ...pot smoked at parties etc. and a handful of friends smoke"
Based on my experience in the DC metro area, pot use in Silicon Valley is FAR higher than here. Aside from a few friends who smoked in the their teens and early-20s, I don't see it much at all.
Maybe DC is even lower than average because of the high concentration of government jobs (and the accompanying clearance process)?
By comparison, DC is a pretty conservative area for precisely the reason you mention.
The fact that so many tech jobs require clearances causes engineers to self-select in or out depending on their temperaments and leanings, as well as curbing the behavior outright.
Compare to California, where it is largely decriminalized and possible to acquire legally and it's no wonder there is a significant difference.
Based on my experience in the DC metro area, pot use in Silicon Valley is FAR higher than here. Aside from a few friends who smoked in the their teens and early-20s, I don't see it much at all.
Maybe DC is even lower than average because of the high concentration of government jobs (and the accompanying clearance process)?