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Steve Jobs, Lady Gaga, George Carlin, Louis Armstrong, Jay-Z…

They’ve all credited cannabis with fueling their creativity.

“If ever I need some clarity… or a quantum leap in terms of writing something, it’s a quick way for me to get to it,” singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette once told High Times magazine.

Such talk has helped the plant take on an almost mystical reputation as a cure for writer’s block and a muse for some of the biggest cultural innovators of our time.

SPECIAL REPORT: How cannabis can influence art & literature

But as more states legalize cannabis, and acceptance of the plant grows, more artists are speaking honestly about their sometimes complicated relationship with marijuana.

“It’s not a trick to use to get a good idea,” said Aaron Lammer, who’s co-written songs for the likes of Drake and is host of the podcasts “Longform” and “Stoner.”

Scientists are asking, too. There’s a small but growing body of research looking at the link — if any — between marijuana and creativity.

Interested in more coverage of the California marijuana industry? Head to TheCannifornian.com or subscribe to The Cannifornian newsletter to get cannabis-related news, features and more.

Taken together, these conversations are offering a better understanding of who might benefit from a cannabis-fueled boost, at what stage in the creative process marijuana might be effective and when it might actually hamper that all-important creative flow.

WHAT THE ARTISTS SAY

“So many people are not creative anymore,” said Heidi Keyes, a 32-year-old painter and art teacher who’s used cannabis since she was 15 to calm anxiety and boost creativity.

“We’re not encouraged to make art as adults. And when we do, we’re so worried about looking like a fool or not doing a good job.”

Read the full story at The Cannifornian.