As we know, cannabis has myriad medical uses that have to do with pain relief, sleep regulation, and more. But did you know it can also boost creativity? That is, pot can help you find new ways to express yourself through your art or improve how you create art already!
Many artists use marijuana as part of their routine to achieve this goal. Some people even develop recipes or tricks using weed that enhance their artistic process.
There are several reasons why experimenting with cannabis can boost your creative potential. First, cannabis can make you feel relaxed and thus may afford you time to reflect on what you were doing before while altering the texture and speed at which you produce art.
Second, cannabinoids in weed can actually affect the levels of dopamine you get from creating art. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger) that helps us associate things with feeling good. When you create something beautiful, like a poem or a painting, you get a small dose of pleasure from it.
History of cannabis
Medical marijuana has been used for centuries to help people in many ways, including pain management or general relaxation. It was even considered an important medicine during Ancient Greece!
The ancient Greeks used hashish (a resin extracted from flowering plants) to treat anxiety and depression. They would smoke it or ingest it as an oral solution.
In fact, they had several terms for it; pharmakon means “drug” in Greek, while dronabion refers to “drowsy drug.” The word THC comes from this term.
Cannabis therapy actually made its way into Western medicine around the turn of the 20th century when Sigmund Freud administered it to his patients for stress relief. Since then, there have been hundreds of studies proving that cannabinoids can reduce symptoms of chronic pain and inflammation, aid sleep, enhance mood, and more.
But what about creative expression? Does weed hinder that? Luckily, research does not suggest so! In fact, some studies indicate that cannabis may even boost creativity. Let’s look at all the reasons why.
Why should you give cannabis a try?
If you’re already part of the cannabis community, then you probably know how useful it is. But if you’re still skeptical, read on!
Medical marijuana has been proven to ease pain, decrease nausea associated with chemotherapy, and improve quality of life.
Different types of cannabis
There are many ways to consume marijuana, with some being more popular than others. Certain methods seem to make people happier, while other styles of smoking may hurt your lungs or require expensive equipment. What is important is what you want from using cannabis!
Some artists use roach clips (lighters for joints that have burnt down tips) as their stick- we will discuss why this is not a good idea in just one minute!
That said, there are several different ways to smoke weed. Some people put the whole joint in their mouth at once, whereas others press out the individual pieces and roll it into a cigarette style shape. People also either hit the tip of their bong directly or use an attachment called a dabber, which uses heated glass to melt solid substances such as flower or hashish so you can ingest them more easily.
This article will focus on dry herb vaping. This has become very common due to its ease of use. You simply mix the plant matter (fruity strains have thicker oils in them, speshulty) with liquid e juice, attach vape pen or device, and start vaping!
Many people enjoy doing this because it does not required burning material, leaving less residue and no burned off chemicals. Many believe this improves the effect of the drug because it removes the chlorophyll content and heavy oil components of the plant.
Does cannabis make you high?
Many people talk about how marijuana makes you feel relaxed or mellowed out, but what most of those individuals fail to mention is that it can also enhance your creative process.
Some studies suggest that THC (the active compound in cannabis) actually boosts creativity. A study conducted by Choo et al. found that regular users of cannabis had higher levels of activity in the left hemisphere of their brain than non-users.
The left hemisphere of our brain controls verbal skills; thinking through concepts and words, talking about ideas, giving speeches, and making statements are all activities that use this part of the brain.
By having increased activity in the left side of the brain, cannabis users have more capacity for verbal learning and expression. It may be that these people need less time to reach a mental state where they are able to express themselves more fully.
For artists, enhancing one’s ability to think creatively via verbalization could mean using metaphors or artistic language to describe an idea or concept. A person using cannabis might come up with new ways to illustrate a theme or argument.
When used in moderation, cannabis can help unleash the inner artist within.
Can you get high off of cannabis?
No, you cannot “get high” off of marijuana by smoking it. You can enjoy the effects that marijuana has on your body and mind while creating art or doing anything else you may typically do, but to call it artistic expression is quite the exaggeration.
There are several reasons why this is not the case. For one, marijuana can be enjoyed in many different ways – eating it, vaporizing it, rubbing it onto skin, injecting it into your veins, etc. Each method produces its own unique effect, so what works for one person does not work for the next.
Second, most people who experiment with marijuana use less than 1mg of THC per session. The average dose of weed anyone should try before calling it an artistic experience is definitely higher than that!
Third, most artists never actually spend time focusing on creative tasks like drawing, painting, writing, or sculpting while under the influence of marijuana. It might look funny watching someone roll up a joint and take long drags, but they never actually put effort into creativity until hours later.
Does cannabis increase your creativity?
Recent studies suggest that yes, it does! While not for everyone, marijuana has been linked to increased artistic expression and inspiration. Marijuana can influence perception, mood, and emotion which all play a part in creating art.
Some people even say that smoking weed makes you feel more creative, so why not use this drug to boost your own creativity?
The best way to enjoy marijuana-inspired creativity is probably just by doing it! If you are already passionate about making art or want to become more inspired, start practicing now. You may be surprised at how much of an effect THC (the active compound in cannabis) can have on you as an artist.
Taking cannabis for creativity
A recent study conducted by Harvard Medical School confirms what many artists have known for years: cannabis can be an integral part of your artistic process. The researchers surveyed 39 professional creative professionals to find out how frequently they used marijuana and if it had any effects on their work.
They found that 94 percent of respondents reported using cannabis in some form during the past year, with 70 percent saying it made a significant difference to their work. Twenty-five percent said they were able to use less alcohol or other substances while working because of cannabis.
For creative professionals, cannabis can help improve productivity, focus, and overall well-being. It may also facilitate expression and insight in different areas, including painting, writing, and performing.
Some people are more sensitive to THC (the compound in cannabis that makes you feel high) than others. This means that either lower doses or no THC is needed to get similar benefits for you.
It’s important to note that there was not one common dosage or type of product that worked best for everyone. Some individuals only need a small amount, while others need much more.
However, most responders enjoyed the effect cannabis had on them and would recommend it to colleagues.
Can you get high off of cannabis?
Many people may be surprised to learn that yes, you can indeed get “high” from marijuana! This is not only possible, but it has become increasingly common as legalization spreads across America.
Most people agree that cannabis contains cannabinoids suchas tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which are responsible for creating a mood-enhancing effect.
But what many don’t know is that there are also other substances in the plant that have non-psychotropic effects. These substances work together with the endocannibinoids to create an overall feeling of wellness and relaxation.
There are actually several dozen different compounds in cannabis, some more potent than others. Some people refer to these naturally occurring chemicals as phytocannabinoids.
However, before we discuss how cannabis impacts creativity, let us talk about something that everyone already knows: smoking anything will make you feel relaxed, happy, and/or sleepy.
Does cannabis increase your creativity?
Recent studies suggest that yes, it does! Weed can actually make you more creative by giving you ideas for new projects or strategies to tackle old ones.
In a recent study conducted at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, researchers measured participants’ brain activity while they engaged in an exercise called divergent thinking.
Divergent thinking is defined as coming up with a variety of different answers to the same question. For example, if the question was “What are some things that could be done to improve people’s relationships?” then answering would include writing down all the different ways to do this (telling someone their needs are too high) versus going out and doing something active like taking a walk together.
The researchers found that marijuana use caused brains to work faster, producing similar results to being under the influence of alcohol. This means that even small amounts of weed can boost creative thinking.
Furthermore, individuals who used cannabis earlier in life were able to apply themselves to learning materials more quickly than those who had never tried drugs before. They also took longer to feel tired and relaxed after using the drug, which allowed them to devote greater time to studying.
Given how popular pot has become, there are now many resources available to us.
