For years, cannabis users have been tainted by media like “Friday” and “The Big Lebowski,” which stereotype them as the ‘lazy stoner’ who is not interested in losing anything. Nonetheless, scientific research is ever challenging this image. A number of recent studies including ones from UCL, the University of Cambridge and Kings College London have reportedly debunked some these stereotypes by showing that those who use cannabis are no less motivated than their non-user counterparts.
This is very important to consider when you think of the fact that not only are there a variety of professionals who can be considered professional drug users but also they can potentially self medicate and get on with their work. In one particular related field—live audio engineering for concerts. Professionals in this dynamic environment often operate under high stress and require acute concentration to handle the complex technicalities of sound-mixing and equipment setup. Some audio engineers see these substances as critical for making them focus thoughts in their minds and leading a serene creative mind that is vital in handling complex audio systems during live performances where an error margin barely exists.
Keeping focus and being creative on line are key to smoothness in mixing a live sound. This desecrater the notion that the people who use cannabis are indifferent or inattentive. Why audio professionals use cannabis to unlock creativity under pressure. In fact, cannabis using audio engineers are not lazy or incompetent but perform well in their field of fast problem solving and focus.
In these creative industries, that is, graphic design, writing and software development amongst others also always report benefits of increased creativity and focus which they attribute to cannabis. Cannabis has the potential of inspiring creative thinking and enabling individuals to concentrate for long on complex duties, which are common in these fields. Some of such disciplines, include graphic design whose designers thank cannabis for stimulating their brain to produce originality that analyzes issues from a different point. Similarly, software programmers have observed that they can sustain their focus for hours in complex coding problems that require great concentration while under the effect of cannabis.
Many founders and CEOs who use cannabis have testified on its effectiveness in keeping motivational consciousness and managing the stresses of running a business especially in the context of entrepreneurship & business leadership. Elon Musk, and other notable business people, has gone public regarding their cannabis indulgence citing its role in having new visions. It can be an answer for stereotype that cannabis users are not ambitious. Indeed, the capacity to remain calm and generate non-standard solutions in a constantly moving world of start-ups is an important fit for this world.
Effects of cannabis on measures such as anhedonia (low ability enjoyment) and apathy in regular users have also been investigated. An insight into how cannabis affects the capacity to enjoy rewarding experience was described by one study involving 274 adolescents, young adults and adults using cannabis regularly and non-using control participants. Instead of being “amotivational” as the stereotype suggests, cannabis users were a bit lower on anhedonia scale, implying they may be enjoying the pleasures of life more than non-users. The users showed no significant differences in the rates of apathy when compared with non-users.
This research is essential in characterizing the effects of adolescent versus adult cannabis exposure. According to Dr. Will Lawn from King’s College London, the effects of cannabis on motivation or pleasure are no different in adolescents than among adults. This is an important finding because it helps to debunk the myth that adolescent cannabis use is especially detrimental relative to adult use in terms of motivation.
Nonetheless, more longitudinal research in this area is needed to understand the consequences of extensive consumption of marijuana. Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge is emphasizing this point needing longitudinal studies that track adolescent users through adulthood, combining motivation measures with brain imaging. Eventually, these will offer more in-depth information about the repercussions of using marijuana on motivation and maturing brain. This can help understand whether cannabis are somewhat associated with the levels of motivation in adolescents or adults.
Finally, such scientific findings disapprove of the obsolete image of a ‘lazy stoner’ generally used to describe such types of behavior. In fact the fact of the matter is that illegal drug users in a wide range of professions are as motivated and capable to enjoy life’s pleasures as non-users. Examples like the live audio engineering for concerts industry show that cannabis can actually improve focus and even perform well under pressure if used responsibly. For instance, cannabis could be used for out-of-the-box thinking in creative fields like software development and graphic design.
It is high time that we stopped resorting to these lazy clichés and take the more sophisticated, research-driven outlook on drug use. Conversely, more study is required particularly in relation to longitudinal investigations on chronic cannabis use beginning in adolescence and adulthood. This will shed more light on the influence of motivation across various stages of life. Still, at this point of research it is clear that the myth that cannabis users are not motivated in themselves and unable to enjoy life has been debunked. Responsible use of cannabis, like any substance, may have the benefits or risks that depend on the person and situation.
This research was funded by the Medical Research Council with additional support from the Aker Foundation, National Institute for Health Research and Wellcome.
References
Skumlien, M, et al. Anhedonia, apathy, pleasure, and effort-based decision-making in adult and adolescent cannabis users and controls. IJNP; 24 Aug 2022; DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac056
Skumlien, M, et al. Neural responses to reward anticipation and feedback in adult and adolescent cannabis users and controls. Neuropsychopharmacology; 6 April 2022; DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01316-2
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