Does cannabis enhance the art experience?

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Let’s not beat around the sticky, green bush: For all its medical properties, one of cannabis’ biggest selling points is its ability to enhance common experiences. Beyond the casual night-on-the-town or occasional “elevated” meal, there’s one realm that seems universally improved with the addition of some good bud: Art. The sensory experience of music, film and other facets of human expression almost always evoke a greater response after consumption. Surely, everyone has heard someone recall their enthralling first viewing of (insert movie here) or their first listen to (insert album here, although, come on, Pink Floyd’s The Wall is a safe bet), tail-ending their anecdote with the fact that they had enjoyed a smoke mere minutes prior.

Cognitive impairment

What’s happening when the freshly blazed mind encounters a catchy, ear-worm hook or a captivating film? Though research regarding cannabis’ relationship to creative works is slim, Dr. Ethan Russo suggests that THC’s effect on memory may help stimulate appreciation for creative works. “One thing we know well is that THC produces short-term memory impairment… when somebody’s used cannabis and they say they’ve lost their train of thought, that’s one of the known effects,” says Russo, director of research and development at the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute in Prague. Paradoxically, that lack of focus on the bigger picture can often result in greater concentration towards the finer details of a song, scene or image. “Altered states of consciousness can offer a different experience, and, therefore, a different perspective on the source of stimulation,” Russo explains. “Cannabis can sharpen senses for certain activities… people say they’ve never ‘heard it’ or ‘seen it’ that way before.” Read full article at TheGrowthOp.com

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