My philosphy professor said to my class of 1999 that he got his Ph.D. by sharing his pot with the professor , was he serious?

I thought he was joking and I offered him in class clowning entertainment instead and company every day in his office. He raised my mark from 5 out of 9 to 7 out of 9. I didn’t know were to find pot so I was S.O.L. and I failed the second year courses, (Another professor of liberal arts wanted $5 an assignment taped to it). Another student signed out all of the relevant library books on an assignment for medieval history, with a wink and a nod to the librarian. So I was disgusted with college and went to work at a convenience store and eventually retired and stayed at home. How can one compete with those who cheat, without cheating instead.
I’m not that good at academics when the curve is so skewed towards those who cheat?