One of the most common claims made about marijuana is that it makes users more creative. Some say it helps them get into a zone while engaged in hobbies or tasks.
But recent research suggests this contention about weed may not be accurate — at least not enough to generalize.
The creative benefits that people experience from getting high may have more to do with how it affects their perceptions and standards of creativity while they are under the influence. The tendency to be creative could also stem from underlying personality traits, like openness, that make people more receptive to experiences like drug use.
A recent study out of the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business ran a series of experiments comparing “light” cannabis users, who had just gotten high, with people who were sober — meaning they had not used cannabis during the previous 12 hours.
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The researchers found that the cannabis users tended have openness as a personality trait, which is usually associated with seeking new experiences. This broader exposure can be beneficial to creativity. The study concluded that the personality traits of people who use marijuana are more likely to be an indicator of creativity than their cannabis use, specifically.
