Can Weed Inspire Us? Cannabis and the Creative
There is a potent stereotype of a lazy, unproductive, and couch potato stoner. The 20-something who lounges around on their parent’s dime. There are even more insidious stereotypes that have helped to stigmatize and imprison, quite literally, millions of people. The gateway drug fallacy has lead to unfounded stereotypes which categorize all cannabis-users as criminals, morally corrupt, or less productive members of society. These tropes have been conveniently used for anti-cannabis campaigns and “the war on drugs” era programs.
The truth about cannabis is that it has inspired countless artists, musicians, writers, photographers, poets, and businesspeople to create and share incredible work. From Snoop Dogg to Oscar Wilde, from Salvador Dali to Miley Cyrus, from Willie Nelson to Steve Jobs, there is an endless list of talented people who used cannabis to further their vision.
A deep connection exists between creativity and cannabis. The relaxation experienced by cannabis users can provide the ideal environment for the creative process. Free from your mind’s regular judgements you may find yourself more able to get into a flow state, necessary for any creative endeavor. Countless artists and writers have utilized cannabis for this reason.
While research on the connection between creativity and cannabis is in its infancy there is much historical and anecdotal evidence suggesting a connection. Interestingly, studies have shown an increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) to the brain’s frontal lobe after participants used cannabis. The brain’s frontal lobe is associated with creativity and divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is how researchers and scientists typically label what we would call creativity.
Studies have also proven that lower dose cannabis (around 5.5mg THC) improved divergent thinking in three categories: fluency (the # of responses), flexibility (the variation in answers), and originality (uniqueness of responses). The effects were not the same when participants consumed 22mg of THC. While more research is needed the effects of cannabis consumption on the creative world and our culture are undeniable.
