Why does cannabis slow down the perception of time?

In addition to the craving or the phases of paranoia, One of the best-known effects of cannabis is the modification of time perception. Every human being is capable of telling what time it is, because time governs our brains and drives our behavior. However, the cannabis user has already experienced this situation, in which seconds can turn into long minutes. But why does cannabis slow down the perception of time?

Researchers have of course asked themselves this question. A 2012 study shows the effects of cannabis on the perception of time, involving certain areas of the brain equipped with cannabinoid receptors. Of those who took part in the study, 70% of users said that cannabis altered their perception, and that time seemed slower than usual.

Cannabis will in fact increase our internal clock, suggesting a different perception and giving that impression of slowing down.

This first study remains limited as it does not take into account the previous consumption of the smokers tested. Students at the Yale School of Medicine have also focused on the relationship between cannabis and time modulation. In this new study, The students tested 44 users who had had varied experiences with cannabis. THC was administered to half of them, in doses ranging from 0.015 mg to 0.05 mg. The aim of the study was to characterize the effects of THC and frequent cannabis use on the perception of time, in seconds. Participants were asked to perform an activity designed to distract them, and then to count the seconds and get as close as possible to the «current time». The results showed that participants who were high overestimated time by 25% compared to those who had not used cannabis.

«Cannabis dilates time; five minutes is similar to ten minutes. The subjective experience is that time passes slowly, but that this feeling can only occur if the internal clock has sped up,» explains a psychiatrist at Yale University.

What's more, cannabis users focus more on what they're doing in the present moment, making each moment timeless and altering their sense of time. Many human behaviours are based on judgments that vary from seconds to minutes,» adds the psychiatrist. «For example, when a person decides to cross the road because no car is approaching.

Altering the weather can be both a good and a bad experience for cannabis users. A short-term memory loss can also lead to a change in the perception of time, which can be dangerous, especially if the person came to drive under the influence of cannabis, which would increase his reaction time behind the wheel.

Mehdi Bautier