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The Beatles attribute smoking marijuana to stimulating their writing, while some suggest that Pablo Picasso’s artwork was inspired by marijuana.
But a new study suggests that cannabis doesn’t make people more creative when they’re high, contrary to popular belief.
About 400 participants took a creativity test either 15 minutes after smoking the drug or 12 hours later.
Their answers were judged by a random panel that was blind to who took the test. Results showed no difference between the high or fasting groups.
Researchers believe that cannabis makes users more positive, giving them a better idea of their own creativity.
It comes after a federally funded survey last month found that nearly half of young adults in the US use marijuana in some way.
A total of 19 states have now legalized cannabis for recreational use, which many critics say has normalized the drug. Five more states will go to the polls next week on the issue.
But studies show that chronic use can alter brain development in young adults and may even increase the risk of mental health problems and even lower IQ.
Two studies have found that cannabis does not make users more creative, dispelling a common myth (file photo)
The above shows cannabis use in US states. About 19 have legalized it for recreational use, while almost all of them are now allowed to use it for medicinal purposes
In the latest study, University of Washington researchers recruited 191 participants who were occasional cannabis users.
They were divided into two groups and instructed to complete an “alternative use” task, in which they were given a brick and had to come up with as many ideas as possible for its use within four minutes.
One group started the test 15 minutes after smoking cannabis, while the second started at least 12 hours after using the drug.
Two researchers and 430 randomly recruited adults were then asked to rate the answers.
This group was blinded, meaning they did not know who submitted the answers.
There was no significant difference in creativity between the high or sober groups, leading the researchers to theorize that users’ perceptions of creativity are distorted when high.
So they launched a second study that recruited another 140 occasional cannabis users and divided them into groups who had just used cannabis and hadn’t used it for at least 12 hours.
Both groups were asked to complete a work-oriented creativity task.
In this case, they were tasked with coming up with ideas for a local music band within five minutes to increase their sales.
Then the participants evaluated each other’s ideas.
Those who had smoked the drug tended to rate the creativity of others more favorably than those who had not.
But again, no difference in creativity was found between the two groups.
dr. Christopher Barnes, a psychologist at the University of Washington who led the study, said, “Cannabis probably doesn’t make you more or less creative.”
He told PsyPost: ‘The gap between the effect of cannabis on self-evaluations of creativity versus actual creativity explains the general belief and why it is actually incorrect.’
dr. Barnes said the results suggested employers should find ways to “manage” employees who use cannabis.
“Many managers will either have to think about the impact cannabis has on their own work or direct employees who use cannabis,” they said.
“Instead of ignoring cannabis as a taboo topic, management and applied scientists should work to further elucidate the effects of cannabis at work.”
Lady Gaga is among the celebrities who have previously admitted to smoking cannabis while writing songs.
‘I really discovered the art I wanted to make and was inspired [using drugs]’ she told Anderson Cooper’s ’60 Minutes’ in 2012. “Some people find inspiration in dark places, I think I’m one of them.”
The research using the brick and work based activityy were published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
About 18 percent of Americans — or 48 million people — use marijuana at least once a year, estimates suggested by the CDC.
It has already been legalized for recreational use in 19 states, including New York, California and New Jersey.
But next week, when Americans go to the polls for midterm voters in five states — Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota — will vote on whether or not to use the drugs.
Polls are already suggesting that voters in Arkansas are inclined to legalize the drug, making them the first Southern state to do so.