New Insights Into How Cannabis Influences Music Appreciation
Fresh research from Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada has brought forth insights into the long-held notion that cannabis enhances music enjoyment. The study gleaned insights from a collective group of 104 participants, who reported heightened music engagement when under the influence of marijuana, compared to when sober.
Participants from the university, as well as those identified through fliers at 38 marijuana vendors in Toronto, took part in the study. The research process involved an online survey and hour-long Zoom discussions with a select group of 15 individuals. The findings underscored the profound and individualistic impact of cannabis on the auditory experience in habitual recreational cannabis consumers.
Changes in Music Listening Behavior
The research indicated that, to a significant degree, marijuana modified listening behavior. Around 50% of the participants reported amplified auditory sensitivity after consuming cannabis, while 60% believed their overall hearing was influenced by the substance. The preferred activity while under the influence of cannabis for 45% of the respondents was enjoying music.
Genres of music enjoyed when sober or under the influence did not exhibit substantial changes, contrary to what was expected. Self-assessed experiences highlighted many transformations including alterations in the interpretation of lyrics, recall of music-associated memories, attentiveness, and cognitive processing.
A respondent from the university mentioned, “Without marijuana, I tend not to pay enough attention to the music, it becomes more like…ambient sound. However, when under the influence…it feels like that’s all I concentrate on.”
The paper included qualitative replies from the 15 interviewees, revealing unique experiences including “amplified auditory sensitivity, novel sound perceptions, and alterations in audiovisual perception, rhythm, and tempo.”
Marijuana and the Intensity of Music-associated Memories
The research participants claimed that marijuana use amplified memories associated with music, eliciting both positive and negative emotional responses. Increased music immersion and absorption were reported, with some participants noticing a refreshing newness or difference in familiar songs. One participant reported that they conceptualized more song associations and musical patterns when under the influence. Another stated that marijuana made the lyrics more profound.
While experiences varied significantly, the consensus was that there was an enhanced appreciation and enjoyment of music. Having analyzed an array of responses, the research team concluded that the audit-related enhancements apparently brought on by cannabis “need further investigation via experimental studies”.
Previous studies dating back to 1971 were found to support the findings of the present research. The study is the first mixed-method retrospective exploration of cannabis’s influence on hearing and musical experiences. The extracted insights emphasize the nuanced impact cannabis has on the auditory experiences of recreational users.
Overall, these findings greatly contribute to enhancing our understanding of the role of cannabis in society and its potential uses across a range of fields. Future research should persist in investigating the intricate nature of the marijuana experience and how it interacts with various aspects of human behavior, including music listening habits. Combining these insights with targeted SEO keywords such as “cannabis and music” and “marijuana auditory experiences” could help further disseminate these findings.
