How Cannabis Can Heighten Our Appreciation and Perception of Music

Throughout history, cannabis and music have often been paired together.

For centuries, musicians have referenced cannabis use in their songs, from the early era of jazz with Louis Armstrong to the 90s reggae rock era of Sublime to more recent hip-hop artists such as Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa.

Many people believe that music is simply associated with stoner culture, it is much more complex than that. It has been observed in culture that individuals who partake in the use of cannabis have a much greater appreciation for music, but why?

Cannabis, Music, and the Brain

The obvious starting point for this discussion should be to examine how music and cannabis affect the brain. Michael Thaut, a professor of music and neurology at the University of Toronto who earned his Master's and PhD in Music from Michigan State, has focused his research on the neural and psychophysical bases of music and rhythm perception.

How Sound Activates the Central Nervous System

Through his research, Thaut discovered that sound is processed from the spinal cord to the cortex, indicating that the entire central nervous system is activated when we listen to music. Interestingly enough, the most prominent receptors in the central nervous system are cannabinoid receptors. More specifically, CB1 receptors, the same receptors known for influencing mood and sensation when activated.

Cannabis and Music Share the Same Reward Pathway

Moreover, music and cannabis both trigger the mesolimbic dopamine system, also known as the nervous system's reward pathway. This system releases dopamine to chemically reinforce gratifying behavior. Music, with or without the influence of cannabis, enhances the activity in this area of the brain. So, it makes sense that people tend to enjoy music while sober, but seem to enjoy it more while under the influence of cannabis.

Enhanced Brain Activity After Cannabis Consumption

Through an EEG study used to measure electrical activity of the brain, it was shown that increased activity in the parietal area and the right hemisphere of the brain occurred after cannabis consumption. The parietal lobe of the brain is responsible for information processing, and the right hemisphere is associated with creativity, imagination, and intuition. Increased activity in both these areas after cannabis consumption suggests that cannabis allows individuals to better process the sounds they are hearing as well as fully immerse themselves in the creative process of listening to and making music.

Cannabis and an Altered Perception of Reality

It is also important to understand how cannabis may alter our perception of reality and how that, in turn, affects our perception of music. Research done on cannabis and music perception was done by Jörg Fachner, Professor of Music, Health and the Brain, and Co-Director of the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research.

Through his research and the collective work of scientists before him, it was discovered that cannabis can alter an individual's perception of music by affecting the perception of time, sound intensity, and frequency.

Cannabis Changes How We Perceive Time

In “Out of Time? Music, Consciousness States and Neuropharmacological Mechanisms of an Altered Temporality”, Dr. Fachner describes that music is a “time process” and that cannabis has an ability to refocus its users' attention to the current moment by changing their perception of time.

While under the influence of cannabis, time seems to move more slowly, and our short-term memory is disrupted, allowing us to focus on the moment rather than predict what’s coming next. These two factors, combined with the euphoria associated with the high, make listening to music an almost ethereal experience. In another essay titled “The Space between the Notes–Research on Cannabis and Music Perception,” Dr. Faucher also points out that altered time perception may “temporarily enable an increased insight into the space between the notes, as if music is heard with a sort of time lens.” In more digestible terms, cannabis users may be able to hear more music in between the notes, making cannabis use intriguing to musicians and listeners.

Enhanced Sound Perception and Sensitivity

In the same essay, Fachner cites a 1972 study in which audiologists measured sound levels and ear sensitivity. This study found that cannabis enhanced individuals' ability to hear sounds around 6000 Hz and made these sounds more pleasant. This suggests that a wider range of music is more enjoyable to the average cannabis user. It was also discussed that cannabis users showed a higher sensitivity to sound intensity and increased speech perception. This information suggests that individuals under the influence of cannabis are able to decipher words from background noise more easily than their sober counterparts.

A Psycho-Acoustic Enhancer

All of this combined leads to the conclusion that music sounds more distinctive and defined to individuals who are “stoned”. In an interview with Vice Magazine, Fachner explains,

“[Marijuana] works like a psycho-acoustic enhancer. That means you are more able to absorb, to focus, and to have a broader spectrum [musically]. It doesn't change the music; it doesn't change the ear's functioning. It changes the way we perceive music.”

In the same interview, Zach Walsh, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, explains that cannabis enhances aspects related to being present in the moment, allowing people to be more receptive to music.

Music just sounds better when you’re stoned

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