A new study from researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University has provided insights into how cannabis can enhance the enjoyment of music, confirming long-held anecdotal claims.
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The research, based on the experiences of 104 participants, found that cannabis increases emotional sensitivity and immersion in music, making it more enjoyable compared to sober listening.
The study's authors noted that cannabis affects auditory experiences in complex ways, leading to heightened absorption, reinterpretation of lyrics, and increased sensitivity to sound.
Participants in the study reported significantly higher levels of "state music absorption" when high, describing enhanced focus on music, as well as altered perception of sound and rhythm. Half of the respondents reported improved hearing sensitivity while under the influence of cannabis, while the rest saw no change or a reduction in sensitivity.
Listening to music was the most popular activity while high, selected by 45% of participants. Cannabis users also reported that familiar songs often sounded new or different, allowing them to discover deeper meanings in the lyrics. Many said they felt more immersed in the music and more attuned to rhythms and beats, with some even experiencing enhanced memory recall triggered by certain tracks.
However, individual experiences varied, with some participants reporting sensory overload in overstimulating environments. The study also identified four key themes from the findings: altered cognitive processes and reinterpretations, auditory perceptual changes, emotional openness, and a sense of physical immersion.
The research highlights how cannabis can alter the way people experience music, supporting previous findings about the interplay between marijuana and sensory experiences. This study marks the first mixed-methods analysis of cannabis's impact on hearing and music and underscores the need for further experimental research to explore these effects in more detail.
These findings are part of a broader investigation into how cannabis affects various sensory experiences. For instance, other recent research has focused on how marijuana stimulates appetite by activating neurons in the brain, while separate studies have examined the role of music in psychedelic therapy, challenging the traditional belief that classical music is the most effective genre for such treatments.
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