effect of marijuana on language

Chronic cannabis use may change speech and language delivery, often making speech less expressive or more drawn out, though the effects vary between people.

• 1. Reported speech changes: Users may show less vocal inflection and emphasis, altered timing and enunciation, and sometimes a slower, drawn-out delivery. The spoken content can remain the same even as its delivery changes. 1 2
• 2. Motor circuitry: THC affects the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which are involved in action and motor planning. Because speech depends on coordinated movement, disruption to these circuits can affect mouth movements and speech production. 3
• 3. Reduced vocal intensity: A change called “spectral tilt” reflects reduced vocal effort and intensity, so words and syllables may sound less strongly emphasized. 4
• 4. Individual variation: These effects are not universal; some regular users retain clear, highly articulate speech. 5