Unlocking Creativity With Cannabis

Artists, musicians, and writers all say it — weed unlocks creativity. 

Or is it simply a comforting myth that makes us feel justified when we light up before losing ourselves in our creative hobbies? 

Here's what researchers have found about the link between cannabis and creativity — and how you can use it to support your own artistic practice.

What the Science Says About Weed and Creativity

There are two key studies that examine the link between smoking weed and creativity. Let's take them one at a time.

Study #1: Too Much Weed = Bad for Brainstorming

The first study, conducted in 2014 in The Netherlands, found that low doses of THC didn't affect creativity, while high doses reduced it.

Sort of. Stick with me, because this is interesting.

This was a lab study that used two main metrics to assess creativity.

First, they tested a "divergent thinking" task, aka brainstorming. Subjects were asked to list as many uses as they could for common household items, like a pen or a shoe. Their responses were then scored on number of uses, number of categories, originality, and detail.

On this task, the high-dose test subjects were worse at brainstorming than the others, while the low-dose test subjects and the placebo test subjects fared about the same.

Then, they tested a "convergent thinking" task, which involves finding one solution to a specific problem. In this case, subjects were given three unrelated words and asked to find a fourth that links them all together. All three groups (high-dose, low-dose, and placebo) performed in the same range.

Conclusion? High THC exposure may inhibit brainstorming ability, but doesn't seem to make people generally worse at thinking or problem solving.

But that's only part of the story, because there's another study to discuss.

Study #2: THC May Not Boost Creativity, But It Boosts Perception of Creativity

The second study was conducted in 2022 by an international group of business researchers.

The team split their test subjects into two groups: a sober group, and a high group that was asked to smoke whatever they normally would. (This test was conducted at home, so you have to wonder... exactly how high were these people?)

Like the first study, this one used a brainstorming task — this time, listing uses for a brick. It also asked them to brainstorm ways for a struggling band to make more money.

But unlike the first study, this one asked the participants to rate how creative the ideas were. Then an independent panel also rated the creativity of the ideas.

The high group's ideas were no more creative than the sober group's. But the high group perceived their own and other people's ideas as being more creative than the independent panel did.

Overall, the study concluded that while THC might not actually enhance creativity, it did increase "joviality," boosting mood and making the participants feel better about what they and others came up with.

But Wait... Do These Even Test Creativity?

While the tasks in these studies do ask subjects to do some creative thinking, they're also problem-solving and brainstorming tasks. Is this what we mean when we talk about creativity?

Is writing a poem "solving a problem?" Is painting a landscape? Is designing a new dress? There may be problems to solve along the way, sure. But the creative process is so much more than that. It's opening your consciousness to new ideas. Silencing your inner censor so you can create freely. Giving yourself room to play.

As the 2014 study so aptly says, "The concept of creativity is not very well defined, and there is no agreement on one particular measure how to assess it." So we have to take the results of these studies as they are, and not go too far in interpreting the results.

And here's the important thing to remember about creativity. It's hard. It's a lot easier to bedrot and scroll TikToks than to get up and create.

Choosing Weed Strains to Support Creativity

Now that we know the science, let's talk strains.

With a huge variety in genetics across brands, plus the lack of real research on this, most of the wisdom here is anecdotal. But there are a few facts we can throw in the mix.

Sativa vs. Indica for Creativity

The common refrain is that sativa = energy, and indica = sleepy.

Truth is, you're not going to find true sativas or indicas on the market these days. Most commercially available weed strains are hybrids, bred for high-yield, high-THC, climate acclimatization, and mold resistance, among other traits.

So what you're looking for is sativa-dominant hybrid strains for a focused buzz.

You can also look for higher concentrations of specific cannabinoids. CBG (cannabigerol) has a reputation for being stimulating, said to boost energy, focus, mood, and motivation. Contrast that with something like CBD, known for being relaxing and sleep-inducing. CBD will be present no matter what you smoke, but you're not after a high-CBD strain.

Different terpenes may also contribute their own effects to the mix, although a lot of this is still theoretical. Limonene is reported to have mood lifting and energizing effects, while pinene may help boost focus and alertness.

For a little extra complication, different people react differently to different strains. For example, indica-dominant strains are said to make you relaxed and sleepy. But for some, that level of fog can actually make them feel anxious.

So there's going to be some trial and error as you look for the strains that give you the right kind of energy.

Start by looking for a sativa-dominant hybrid, with high levels of limonene, and pinene, and a bit of CBG if you can find it. Here's a list of widely available strains for a jumping off point:

Setting the Scene: Getting Into a Creative Mindset

The weed is only part of getting yourself ready for creative pursuits. There's more you can do to put yourself in the right state of mind to make cool shit or think deep thoughts.

Cultivate a Creativity Ritual

We really are simple creatures. We respond well to routines and repeated actions.

This means with a little deliberate planning, you can design a personal shortcode that flips your brain into "creativity mode." The idea is to take the same quick steps each time you sit down to do creative work. After repeating the ritual a few times, your brain will start to associate those actions with creativity.

Your creativity ritual will be unique to you, but here are some examples to get you started.

• Meditate for five minutes
• Light a candle or incense
• Make a cup of tea or coffee
• Put on a dedicated playlist or album
• Don a specific outfit or accessory: a painting smock, a pair of slippers, a hat that makes you feel smart
• Smoke a little weed or sip some GRAV Cannabis Spirit

It's not so much about what your ritual looks like. It's more about telling yourself, "Ok, the portal is activated. Now it's time to step through."

Consider Your Environment

What kind of space helps you feel inspired?

A tidy desk, or a bit of productive chaos? Carl Jung worked in an austere tower with no electricity and a wood-burning fire, while Francis Bacon's studio was a disaster of brushes, paint tubes, and broken furniture.

Do you like to sit at a desk, stand at a table, curl up on the couch, or get fully horizontal? Ernest Hemingway typed standing up. Marcel Proust wrote only in bed, propped on one elbow.

Can you work at home? Or do you need to get out and about — to a cafe, a park, the library? Maya Angelou found her tidy home a distraction and instead worked from cheap hotel rooms.

Or maybe you're one of those lucky ones that can turn on the creativity faucet anywhere, anytime.

We're all different little weirdos, so experiment to figure out if there's a particular time, place, light, or position that gets your mind moving.

Your environment will impact how you incorporate weed into your ritual. A discreet Dugout, a Classic Spoon, or a smooth bubbler will give you a lift whether you work on the living room floor or at a park bench.

Move Your Body

You know who LOVED a little hot girl walk? Charles Dickens. Sigmund Freud. Beethoven. William Wordsworth. Virginia Woolf.

Haruki Murakami runs marathons. Nelson Mandela was a boxer. Joan Miró did a bit of everything — jumprope, Swedish gymnastics, boxing, running, swimming.

The point is, major creative minds don't forget the meat suit. And regular movement keeps you healthy and keeps those brain synapses firing.

(Yes, there are exceptions. Toulouse-Lautrec painted all night and guzzled wine and absinthe most of the day. He also died at 36. So maybe not someone to emulate.)

Unplug Your Brain

Why do we get all our best ideas in the shower?

Maybe because it's one of the only times of day you're not getting any input. No internet, email, or social media. No television. Usually no music or podcasts. No conversation. It's just you, the shampoo, and your brain.

It's amazing what your monkey mind comes up with when you leave it alone for a little while. So if you reach for entertainment during daily activities, give your brain a break instead. Spend 15 minutes doing the dishes or folding laundry without putting on a show or a podcast. Give your brain some space, and you might be rewarded.

As Agatha Christie once said, "The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes." And she's the bestselling novelist of all time. So she knew what's up.

"Write Drunk, Edit Sober"

Commonly misattributed to Ernest Hemingway, this bit of wisdom actually came from novelist Peter De Vries, from his book Reuben, Reuben:

De Vries' character flips it both ways. But the research points in one clear direction. Weed lifts how good your work feels to you. Great for making, not so great for judging.

So borrow the catchier folk version. Create high, edit sober. When it's time to decide what's great and what to hide in the "we don't talk about that" drawer, you'll need a clear head.