Sitting down with friends and family — or with your latest art project — probably makes you feel especially connected to yourself. Cannabis can too.
In fact, many people consume cannabis for creativity and its associated mental feelings: energized, uplifted, euphoric, happy, talkative, giggly.
This guide to cannabis and creativity will help you see why this plant, which has supported humanity’s wellness for millennia, could be ideal for your most boundless explorations.
What does creativity mean with cannabis?
With cannabis, creativity means more than making art or embarking on creative projects. It means seeing the world in new, exciting ways from a different perspective.
Cannabis-fueled creativity means connecting more with your kids. It opens limitless possibilities as you play with them and you notice your youthful joy and lack of inhibitions returning.
Creativity with cannabis also makes for more memorable social events. Conversation topics may flow more easily, and your reactions to what your friends say may be more earnest.
With cannabis, creativity means being more truly yourself, whether pursuing self-expression or spending time with loved ones.
How does cannabis spark creativity?
Researchers have found a few possible ways in which cannabis sparks creativity, and research into how is ongoing. Here’s what the science says so far.
The science behind cannabis and creativity
In cannabis, a phytocannabinoid called delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive ingredient. Its interactions with your endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) may affect your mood and thinking.
Some research has found that low doses of THC may lead to a greater capacity for divergent thinking. This type of thinking is much more associated with creativity than convergent thinking, which is focused on one idea instead of a world of possibilities.
Other research has found that cannabis primarily shapes creativity by making you feel more joyous. Cannabis may also lessen your inhibitions, opening your mind to new frontiers of expression.
Beyond THC, the terpenes limonene and pinene, which are among the seven most abundant terpenes in cannabis, may spark creativity too.
Limonene is associated with reducing stress and evoking feelings of euphoria. Pinene may improve attentiveness and memory while making your mind feel clearer and more ready to dream big.
Finding the right balance
While low to moderate doses of THC can stimulate creativity, highly potent cannabis may inhibit divergent thinking.
The right balance for creativity is to choose a cannabis cultivar (strain) with low or moderate THC and consume only a small amount at once.
From there, if you’re experiencing more creativity, try enjoying more cannabis and seeing where it takes you.
Make a note of how your experience changes, and look back on what you jotted down next time for even more creativity.
Best cannabis strains for creativity
When choosing cannabis for creativity, you’ll usually want to opt for a sativa cultivar over an indica cultivar.
Although sativa versus indica is somewhat of a myth, indica cultivars are more closely associated with sleepiness and nighttime use. As a result, they generally aren’t as appropriate for creativity.
Start your journey of imagination and boundlessness with one of the following sativa or hybrid cultivars. You’ll find many of them on the menu at Blue Oak Dispensary.
Durban Poison
Lift yourself into energetic new heights with Durban Poison.
This strain boasts a sweet aroma and is known to reduce feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety.
As a pure sativa, it’s ideal for daytime use, whether you’re seeing friends for brunch or trying to write that next chapter in your novel.
It’s also the parent of other potentially creativity-boosting cultivars such as the hybrid strain Guava Jam, available in Pyramid’s Guava Jam Budder vape.
Lemon Haze
With 19% THC on average, Lemon Haze offers a relatively low-potency experience full of giggly, happy sensations.
This sativa cultivar is hailed for its daytime-friendly effects and lemon, citrus, and lime notes.
Day parties take on especially blissful dimensions if you bring The Clear’s disposable Lemon Haze 0.5g vape along for the ride.
Blue Dream
Pinene ranks among this beloved cultivar’s dominant terpenes, clearing your mind for an unforgettable day.
As a sativa-dominant hybrid with 18% to 24% THC, Blue Dream keeps things mellow while unlocking your mind. Ripe berries and tropical fruits dominate the aroma and flavor, with distant notes of herby earthiness balancing out the experience.
Let your imagination run free with Hamilton Farms’ Blue Dream King Pre-Rolls, a more intense spin on the classic Blue Dream strain. One hit unlocks paths you might never have previously explored.
Sour Diesel
Hovering around 26% THC content, Sour Diesel is a sativa-dominant hybrid that offers a potent creative experience.
Limonene ranks among this strain’s most dominant terpenes, adding euphoria and stress reduction to this cultivar’s morning-friendly effects.
Sour Diesel’s one-of-a-kind skunky, diesel-like aroma with an undercurrent of earthy sweetness is as big a factor in its iconic status as its mind-clearing, energizing experience.
Try Full Tilt Labs’ Sour Diesel Pre-Roll for a Sour Diesel adventure that’s slightly less potent than the average. It’s the perfect way to enjoy cannabis for creativity without journeying too deep.
Jack Herer
This iconic cultivar named after a beloved cannabis activist is known to bring out new inspiration.
With THC content as low as 15% and CBD content of 1% on average, you get a low dose and a mellow high perfect for creativity.
Daytime consumption is ideal with this sativa-dominant hybrid strain. It lends mood-boosting, motivating, and energizing effects, earthy and piney flavors, and an herbal aroma.
Green Crack
Known for bringing out cannabis lovers’ most invigorated, focused side, Green Crack is a sativa strain with a reasonable 17% THC on average.
Enjoy it on days that call for your greatest efforts and most boundless self. Take in the mango, citrus, and earthy flavors as you open yourself up to all your potential.
Everyday moments made creative with cannabis
From your usual daily activities to any artistic practices you’re cultivating, cannabis for creativity elevates every moment.
Social gatherings
Many creativity-driving cultivars are associated with euphoric, giggly, happy, or talkative effects, putting you in the mood to be social.
Enjoy an edible at the start of a party to get into the groove as the event reaches its peak. Discreetly take a hit from your vape right before brunch to get gregarious right as your appetizers arrive.
If you’re hosting, share some pre-rolls with everyone who wants to experience greater creativity. With more creative minds unlocked, your social gatherings become limitless. Take a look at our offerings of prerolls at Blue Oak to see what we have in stock to kickstart your next group brainstorm.
Playtime with kids or pets
Surely, at some point, you’ve wondered what happened to your youthful imagination.
This feeling can emerge especially strongly as you watch your own kids be full of boundless creativity and energy. Cannabis can bring you back into this uninhibited state.
Whether you’re doing arts and crafts together, having fun with some favorite toys, or playing catch in the backyard, you’ll get closer to being as uplifted and energized as your little one.
Projects of all kinds
Maybe you have a big spring cleaning or household organizing project ahead of you. Or maybe you’re sitting down with lots of paint and a completely blank canvas.
Whatever your latest project is, cannabis can give you the drive, joy, and euphoria needed to get it done.
From your enhanced divergent thinking to cannabis’ energizing sensations, you have everything you need to face your ambitions and power.
Tips for using cannabis for creativity
You’ll conjure creativity especially well if you keep this advice in mind.
Start low and slow
High doses of THC can limit your creativity, and it’s easier to accidentally wind up consuming more than you might think. The solution is also easier than you might think.
Simply start with a low dose, then slowly consume more THC if your mind isn’t expanding how you’d like.
One hit of low-THC flower or a pre-roll is a great start. Not where you want to be within 15 minutes? Feel free to take another hit to increase the intensity.
Similarly, if all you need is a little boost to start your creative process, consider microdosing. Start by taking 1 mg THC — the effects should be barely noticeable, but it may be enough to get the creative juices flowing.
Repeat this cadence until you feel that your greatest potential is unlocked.
Choosing the right strain
From Blue Dream to Sour Diesel, you have plenty of cultivar options when it comes to cannabis for creativity. There are enough options that choosing the right one can be tough.
Consider each contender’s THC levels, terpene profile, and the product types in which it’s available.
If you prefer edibles over something you’d smoke, choose a strain available as capsules, gummies, or sweet treats.
Alternatively, if you’re already experienced with THC and have a high tolerance, vapes and concentrates are quite intense, potentially getting you into creative mode faster.
Setting the mood
Your surroundings can affect your experience, from how comfortable you feel down to how well you can complete whatever projects you’ve set for yourself.
Newer cannabis consumers may feel safe trying things out in the presence of loved ones. Longtime aficionados carefully wading into new strains may do fine as long as they have everything they need for their creative projects within reach.
It’s all about knowing what makes you feel at ease, why exactly you’re consuming cannabis for creativity, and setting your surroundings to accommodate both.
Find creativity (and a more personalized experience) at Blue Oak Dispensary
Whether you’re newly exploring cannabis for creativity or have long embraced the plant for untethering your mind, stock up on high-quality cannabis products for your next adventure at Blue Oak Dispensary in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Our experts will be delighted to help you decide on just the right strain and product to reach peak creativity and enjoy yourself alone or with others.
Swing by our shop at 1025 Broad St., Bloomfield, NJ, call us at (973) 893-8111, or email us at in**@*******nj.com to learn all about what Blue Oak offers to aid in your creative expression.
