Writing is an enigmatic process that supplements people in ways varying from emotional release to the development of the mind and psyche. Writers can pull inspiration from nature, such as Walt Whitman and other transcendentalists, or from life experiences, such as Hemingway in his memoir, "A Moveable Feast." Other writers work stem from traumatic incidences, such as Maya Angelou. Some even use outside sources (i.e., marijuana, alcohol) as a means to get the creative energy flowing. All of these forms of inspiration can create beautiful, lasting works.
It's been known that novelist Stephen King is a vocal advocate for marijuana being legalized recreationally, leading many to believe that he was under the influence of cannabis during the creation of some of his works. William Shakespeare could have been known to smoke on occasion, given that pipes with traces of cannabis were found in his home in England and he has seemed to hint in some sonnets that he smoked a substance other than tobacco. In "Sonnet 76," he references using a "noted weed" while he writes and in "Sonnet 118" Shakespeare talks about using a substance to "help him gain his appetite" again.
So, if this has been done for centuries, particularly by one of the most well-known writers whose work has stood the test of time, why does it still cause doubt? Of course, marijuana has been pinned as a drug that causes lethargy, apathy and an overall subdued attitude - but could there be an underlying reason why some writers smoke in order to write? With yet another 4/20, or "National Weed Day," passing us by, marijuana will be smoked (legally and illegally) by the masses, but what could go unnoticed during this festive day are the sparks of genius that could be products of the little green plant.
Writers will sharpen their skills as much as possible, to the sharpest point, until they use up every bit of their energy and are dull again. This is what is universally known as writer's block. Sometimes the hardest part of writing is writing. Through marijuana use, unique ideas can pop into the user's head quicker than they could have imagined before as writer's block can often feel so permanent. While not every idea is going to be the next ah-ha! moment, writing each one down is a helpful and speedy way of figuring out prompts or mind-bending plotlines for a story. Whether each idea ends up useful or not is up to the writer, but having the wall that once held your creative genius hostage knocked down is a wonderful feeling nonetheless.
What also comes with writer's block is anxiety. While suffering from a bout of writer's block, the writer may feel hopeless. Their job description is right there in the title - to write. So if the writer is unable to do so, there is a sense of anxiety that comes with that. While some perceive marijuana as a drug that induces anxiety or paranoia, it can actually reduce these feelings and quell them enough to allow you to take risks in your writing without second guessing yourself. That nasty little writer's block will sit on your shoulder and make you delete and retype the same sentence twenty times before convincing you to give up. Knock him down to your feet and eventually, you'll be able to finish what you started.
Once the writer is on the ball and focused on what it is they want to write, the next most important step is keeping that desire to write. Many see marijuana as a substance that creates a spacey, dopey person, but studies show that this could be incorrect. This has been researched extensively enough that there are specific strains of marijuana that help with concentration, which is absolutely necessary in order to write anything. Once someone's concentration is managed properly, there is no telling what they could come up with or accomplish. With the trifecta of creativity, confidence, and concentration, writing can yet again be an enjoyable, cathartic experience.
Writers before and after our time will use whatever methods suitable for them in order to expel their thoughts onto paper. We are an emotional species who like our voices and thoughts to be heard in some form or another but sometimes this is easier said than done. Some people write because they like to write just as some people like to smoke simply because they like to smoke. Some use marijuana while writing because it seems to help them, whereas some may argue that writing should come naturally and that this method seems forced.
Despite all of this - marijuana use is not encouraged or deemed necessary in order to write no more than alcohol, religion, or traumatic life experiences. Writing is a singular experience for each writer and it merely seems that inspiration comes from where it comes from at any certain moment. As writers, we tend to go to the extremes in order to find our path to or method of good writing and once we do, we latch onto it like a leech. Finding your own inspiration, wherever it seems to sprout for you and running with it are what really matter.
At the end of the day, pick your own poison.
