How Can Cannabis Affect the Voice of Its Users?

Curated and edited by Sechat Conteúdo, with information from Canex (Roland Sebestyén)

A recent study concluded that cannabis use can have a negative impact on our voices. According to PsyPost, study participants reported symptoms such as hoarseness, breathiness, and weakness in the voice.

The study was published in the Journal of Voice and led by Dr. Robert T. Sataloff, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Drexel University. The aim was to assess whether cannabis use had any explicit effect on the user's voice.

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With the Growing Legalization of Cannabis, Voice Observation Has Gained Importance

Sataloff states that cannabis use has been common among rock singers and popular for decades, but it also occurs among other professional voice users, including classical singers, teachers, politicians, clergy, and many others.

“Until very recently, it was not possible to study the effects of cannabis on the voice prospectively because the substance was illegal. It still is in many states. However, laryngologists have seen the adverse effects of cannabis through informal observations,” he states.

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According to the report, an anonymous web questionnaire was sent to patients at Sataloff's voice clinic. The goal was to obtain a broader picture of the participants' previous tobacco and cannabis use and to observe if there were any side effects during consumption.

A total of 42 patients responded to the questionnaire and were included in the study. Surprisingly, while less than 1 in 10 participants reported ever trying tobacco, approximately 77% stated that they had tried cannabis in some form before.

The results are revealing: as reported by PsyPost, approximately 42% said that “smoking the substance produced immediate changes in the voice” and 29% believe that cannabis use has a long-term effect on the voice.

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The Harmful Effect of Cannabis Would Be Similar to That of Alcohol

Sataloff further states that smoking cannabis can cause voice dysfunction. For high-level voice users, such as opera singers, intoxication or changes in cognitive function for any reason can alter fine motor control and result in voice injuries. This applies to both cannabis and alcohol.

“Doctors need to learn the facts and ask about cannabis use in appropriate circumstances. Additionally, since the substance has no quality control in states where it has not been legalized, it contains contaminants and aggressive byproducts in some preparations; and these can cause substantial laryngeal inflammation,” comments Sataloff.