Is it True that Cannabis Users are More Creative than Non-Users?

The best way I would describe the effect of the marijuana and the  hashish is that it would make me relaxed and creative. – Steve Jobs.

Everyone wants to have it—to think out of the box for solving problems at work. And, to see things differently, making life interesting and fulfilling.

Yes, you get it right!

Creativity!!!

Although there’s a wide range of methods to improve your creativity, medical researchers have found that smoking cannabis can also play an important role in uplifting your creativity levels. Cannabis is already proven to help treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, cancer, and many other conditions. And, the number of patients getting legal access for medical cannabis in Los Angeles and other parts of the country is increasing day by day. 

But, how can smoking cannabis help you make more creative? What do the medical researchers say?

Read on to get detailed information on the topic.

Medical Cannabis for Boosting Creativity

When it comes to accessing an individual’s creativity, there’re two processes-

Divergent thinking-

Just like brainstorming, the process helps in generating the maximum possible solutions to a problem. It usually happens in a spontaneous manner that evaluates multiple ideas. Complexity, curiosity, elaboration, flexibility, fluency and imagination, originality, and risk-taking are important elements of divergent thinking.

Convergent thinking-

This problem-solving technique involves determining a single relevant solution for a problem after analyzing different ideas.

A recent study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition reported that cannabis users outperformed non-users in the test that measured convergent thinking. And, no significant difference between the two groups in the divergent thinking test was reported. Researchers noted that the enhanced creativity of marijuana users was mainly due to the personality trait called openness to experience.

Now, let’s discuss how smoking cannabis can help you boost your creativity levels.

Cannabis consumption generates abstract ideas-

A 2015 study by University College London found that smoking cannabis helped in boosting divergent thinking in participants.

Contrary to that, a study concluded that high doses of cannabis can impair divergent thinking. And, excessive psychoactive effects may cause problems in generating new ideas and finding solutions. 

Researchers also found individuals who smoked marijuana occasionally had greater divergent thinking ability as compared to regular users.

Cannabis use enhances focus-

Another reason cannabis contributes to creativity is that it helps in boosting focus and attention.

Cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoids, which interact with the receptors present in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) of the body. This helps in regulating various functions such as memory, mood, etc.

Many people report that smoking cannabis helps them in boosting creativity when writing songs, making music, and working for hours without getting bored. While some say that it helps them boost performance when exercising and doing other recreational activities.

Cannabis is proven beneficial for treating ADD/ADHD, a mental illness that involves trouble focusing and concentrating. A case report presented at the International Association for Cannabis Medicine in 2008 found that THC (a cannabis’ psychoactive cannabinoid) had a positive impact on the subject’s performance, behavior and mental state. 

However, to receive attention-improving effects of cannabinoids, you need not be an ADHD patient.

Cannabis promotes sleep-

Sleep is important. It helps you relax your body & mind. Lack of sleep can affect your life in various ways. You can’t focus on your work until you had a good night sleep. Contrary to that, if you have a well-rested body, you will feel like working and be engaged throughout the day.

Cannabis consumption can help in promoting sleep because of its chemical compounds called cannabinoids. The two most researched cannabinoids are-

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)- a psychoactive compound that causes high feelings.

Cannabidiol (CBD)- provides the ultimate relief from anxiety, pain, etc. without causing high effects.

According to a 2008 study, consuming strains (high in THC levels) can reduce the amount of REM sleep and increasing the amount of deep sleep, the most restful part of a sleep cycle.

Cannabis improves pattern recognition-

Cognitive scientists consider pattern recognition as an important aspect of creative thinking. When you find solutions to a problem, you notice more things related to what you’re working on. The brain creates multiple ideas and then filters the most relevant ones. Thus, pattern recognition helps an individual to generate ideas from any sort of data whether it’s mathematical, visual, or semantic.

Researchers have found that cannabis helps consumers see patterns more easily and generate creative ideas.

Wrapping it up—cannabis helps boosting creativity levels by improving focus and concentration. It can also be used as an effective treatment of anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental illnesses, which lead to lack of concentration and creativity.

If you’re considering medical marijuana treatment for your condition, go ahead with a doctor’s advice. Cannabis use does not impair your creativity but boosts it instead. Cannabinoids don’t have the same effects on everyone, thus always choose the right strains based on your condition to receive maximum health benefits.

Talk to a licensed doctor to get your medical cannabis card in Los Angeles today!