Fiona Apple Turns to Cannabis to Treat Insomnia

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]D[/dropcap]uring an in-depth interview with Vulture, standout singer-songwriter Fiona Apple explained that she’s found the perfect cure for treatment-resistant insomnia—lots of cannabis. Some studies suggest that cannabis is effective for sleeping disorders where traditional medications like Ambien and Valium fall short.

“I’ve been through a lot of medication, and for a long time, I think, the medication was helping me sleep and also helping me not have nightmares, but also giving me nightmares,” Apple told Vulture. “I was on way too much medication for a while. Now I’m on way less medication. But pot helps me. Alcohol helped me for a while, but I don’t drink anymore. Now it’s just pot, pot, pot. And I get up at like 5 a.m.”

Throughout her career, Apple has sold over 10 million albums, earning herself a Grammy Award, an MTV Video Music Award and several more awards and recognitions. Her most popular hit “Criminal” was nominated for two Grammy Awards, the same year she was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards as well.

Speaking of criminals, Apple was busted for cannabis and hashish in 2012 at the Sierra Blanca, Texas checkpoint during her Idler Wheel Tour. She was caught with only four grams—but she probably was just trying to get some solid sleep. The checkpoint is notorious for catching numerous drivers and celebrities.  Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg, coincidentally, were busted at the same checkpoint at different times.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released a report in 2017 that found cannabis to be effective tor the treatment of pain, muscle spasms, and insomnia. The report, titled “The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids,” found cannabis to be “more likely to experience a significant reduction in pain symptoms.”

Other research projects are underway to possibly determine similar results. The University of Western Australia (UWA) is currently analyzing if medical cannabis is effective for insomnia sleep disorders among adults.