Arch Enemy frontwoman Angela Gossow sung the praises of cannabis in a recent interview, explaining why she thinks it must be legalised.
"That’s what we do every evening; we listen to a bunch of records when we’re stoned, which is very good for musicians," she told Rocksalt "You get really into the music and understand the greatness of it."
In their native Sweden, the substance is illegal - but Angela gives credit to younger Swedes who have pushed for new legislation.
Cannabis, better known as weed, is derived from a plant and is often used medicinally to relieve pain. In some instances, it is used recreationally to produce sensory effects and induce relaxation.
While Angela considers the recreational drug to be harmless, she warns that it is not suitable for everyone.
"It doesn’t do any damage to people, except when you’re prone to paranoia and schizophrenia then you’ve got to actually see a doctor," Angela said. "For most people it’s very harmless, compared to hard liquor … I’d rather see a 16 year-old smoke a spliff than having a bottle of vodka in their hands."
Interestingly, Angela believes using cannabis has cured her asthma: "I use a vaporizer because it doesn’t irritate my throat at all and it helps my asthma a lot," she said. "Since I’ve been using weed, I haven’t had to use any of my steroid inhalers. It really relaxes the airways, opens it up."
Angela thinks the US government should stop wasting money on a war on drugs and use the savings to help fund education and healthcare - "... all these things that have a massive shortage in the US," she says.
UG spoke to a cannabis user to discover more about the substance. Describing its effect on music, they said, "Imagine a song with some cow bell. Now imagine being stoned to that, and hearing, like, twice as much cow bell."
What do UG readers think? Is it a means to unlock your creativity, or should musicians take care not to damage their gifted minds?
