Hello :) I am a striving vocalist. However..Sadly to say, I have several health problems, I am in constant pain. I am seeking advice because I often smoke pot not relieve the pain when i sing(Yes, I said it..) but I agree, to escape my mind from it. I find it very difficult to bear the pain while performing. I take prescribed narcotics when it is unbearable, but I somehow believe that pot is better for me vocally than pills? I have been searching to try to find just how bad marijuana is for your voice, and i seem to find nothing but many many opinions. Is there anyone that could help me manage this? or suggest a technique to overcome my pain while singing? Thank you all very much. =]

Not only marijuana, but tobacco and any other legal smoke out there will damage your vocal cords if you abuse it. Many famous rock singers lost their voice because of drug abuse.

 the deep end of the spectrum, like Neil McCoy or Rich Stirban )  but yet   can sing "G" over middle "C"  full voice (which I couldn't do wasted! ).Get real, drop the herb because it's killing your voice (and your brain! )  <a href="http://www.backpainforums.org">backache</a>   

Ehm,Are you NUTS,  I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug user. My best songs (I'm a songwriter and a singer) stoned or wasted have nothing on what I write today.  Better yet, I'm a second bass (you know, the deep end of the spectrum, like Neil McCoy or Rich Stirban )  but yet   can sing "G" over middle "C"  full voice (which I couldn't do wasted! ).Get real, drop the herb because it's killing your voice (and your brain! ) 

I don't understand the foolish arguments some singers try to come up about being okay to smoke as long as you keep yourself hydrated.
Your kidding right?
Even second-hand smoke has killed many people! If it can damage your lungs, heart, fitness and cause cancer so easily- It can kill your puny vocal cords in NO TIME!
Your vocal cords are delicate. Really delicate. When you smoke you are doing serious damage even though you may not think so.
Are the great singers with great voice who smoke all the time? Of courss, but soon or late- they will destroy their lung capacity, fitness, deplete energy, and do damage to their voice.
Smoking messes you up- their are ZERO benefits- it ages you, causes cancer, stains teeth, damages the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, endocrine system, vocal cords, causes wrinkles, and your fitness level goes down significantly.
Aside from singers- It affects everybody.
Whether it is marijuana, tobbocca, pills, cocaine or alcohol- they will damage you.
(Alcohol consumed in low amounts  will not cause any damage)
Bottomline- what you put in your body will affect your singing.

Forgot to mention, hydration is cell based and comes from the clusters of H20 being moved into your cells, not by splashing water on them. In other words the water going down your through might wet your throat but doesnt hydrate the chords.
Cheers
M.

Hi All and greetz from Australia
Good to see some healthy debate. I smoked pot from about 15 - 23 years of age. At first a pleasant honeymoon with a dream like state that turned into a horrible nightmare in the end. The experience raised many questions but distilled down to;
1) Pot is an escape; a holiday without moving your body; what was I escaping from? Something for everyone to sort through. When you discover the 'from' , youll probably not want to smoke ie acceptance of grief etc.
2) Whilst stoned, did it change anything, did it fix any problems? No just my view of them and meanwhile they just rotted beyond fixing. It also reduced my focus and power to be who I really am.
Your voice, just like your life is a gift to be enjoyed. We arent here forever so make it count. If thats a dream of telling the world something using the instrument of your voice, better make sure the instrument works and better still, make sure youve got something to say thats the truth and will add to humanity. Not just another complaint or deception
From experience...it will end in some form of destruction unless you depart from that road. The Delta 9 THC (adtive constituent) embeds in the myelin sheath around your brain and causes dysfunction ie like short circuiting ie message from brain to body just doesnt get through as easily. Is that what you really want?
And while we are at it, lest ditch the legal ones too! ;-)
All the best
Mark
LIFE...Live it, Love it....EvollovE

 Since some one was talking about pot not having any cancer causing agents carcenagens, it does around 23 i believe.  And it has more tar then cig's do.   I know alot of musican that smoke some are big some arnt. But i dont know alot of succesfull people that use a crutch long term. Even most ppl that made it music that are still alive gave up vices much worse and including pot, eventually, the pain eventually outwieghed the pleasure. But thats for each person to decide. Right? oh and everyone waving thiere hands in the air saying  it illegal. You dont live in Cali huh. cause its not here.  :-P  

This is always a very good discussion. To summarize the good things I've read so far..

1. Hydration takes 20 minutes to get to the vocal chords. I believe it is in the Signer Success Toolkit, and Brett will undoubtably agree... "If you are feeling dry throated, you are too late". You should have been drinking water 30 minutes ago. I've still no idea how anyone drinks the amount of water recommended by Governement Health Agencies anyway. Tony Robbins has an interesting view on it... Drink what the body asks for. If you are partched, saggy skin, etc... then you need to drink water. If you drink JUST to meet the quota, you are probably over drinking which is not a great thing either.
2. Anything in moderation: Compared to Tobacco, Alcohol, and Caffeine... My understanding is that Marijuana is the LEAST harmful and LEAST addictive. I would rather someone over endulge on marijuana from a health perspective than any of the other big 3 "legal" DRUGS. How many domestic abuse cases do police show up at where the agressor is high on marijauna? Try drinking to much coffee (can you say hea-ache, jitters, sweats, etc...)... Ever see someone over smoke? It is not a pretty site. If you over smoke pot, you sleep... worse case, you get paranoid... Let's look at your body and how it tells you the next day... Over consume alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine and tell me what sort of shape you are in the next day? Hang-over. Smoke a little too much and the next day you wake up... eat breakfast and all is good.
3. The question being asked is a bad question. If I ask you, is carbon monoxide good for you, what would your answer be? Of course it isn't good for you, but you breath it everyday. Should we avoid breathing? I know... but my point being is that if you really look at it, almost everything is "not good for you".  A person who considers there body a vessel should not live in a heavily populated city, farm and produce their own food, etc... Heck, we can't even decide if eggs are good for you or not!!!
4. Marijuana as a gateway drug. This is seriouisly the most ridiculous thing I've ever hear. It's like saying ice cream is a gateway food to obesity.

My final thought on the topic.
Make Alcohol and Tobacco ILLEGAL. Remove the major causes of heart, liver, and lung disease (save health care dollars) as well as the massive amounts of domestic abuse that happens around the world.
Legalize Marijuana and tax/license it. Make some additional money for the government AND remove the huge burden on the legal system litigating against marijuana. Imagine the amount of free time the legal system would have to actually focus on the people who a doing the really harmful trafficing (cocain, heroin, extasy, etc....)
Cheers.

 Smoking some good kush is both good and bad. Same with eating lots of delicious food or drinking a bunch of aged wine or scotch. Everything in moderation and you'll be fine.  With marijuana, dryness of the throat and excessive mucus often occur along with coughing, all of which would more than likely harm a classically good voice.  But for those who are not looking for a classically tuned sound may find that the affects of smoking anything can result in a raspier, deeper tone (tom waits, bob dylan, kurt cobain, sly stone, bono, macy gray, and the list continues...).  Consumption of marijuana can also result in heightened creativity, however, this is not guaranteed and should be tested by you.  Further, smoking anything increases the likely of cancer, so again, keep it in moderation and you're set.

Why do people think that drinking water or juice or whatever will moisten their vocal cords?
Food and drink go down your oesophagus, and air and stuff (like smoke...) go down your trachea. Your epiglottis sorts them out. If you get food or water on your vocal folds you choke.
At least CJ explained it takes 20mins for hydration to get to the larynx.
If you are reading this you are most likely a singer. If you don't know how it all works I urge you to find out. It can only help you improve your voice. You can even visualise how your vocal cords are doing things, and why some bad techniques really do hurt! ( I'm pretty sure Brett can help with that!)
Maybe you will discover a new respect for your body as an instrument. When I realised that what a trumpet player does with his lips on the mouthpiece is the same as a singer does with their vocal cords, alot of things became clearer about my singing. And trumpet players take GOOD care of their lips (well, the good ones do ;-)  ) They certainly spend a long time warming up their lips before they play.
So think about using your body like the most precious instrument. You can't buy a new one if you break it! So how do you treat your best guitar? If you wouldn't treat your guitar like that, why on Earth would you do it to your very own body???
beautiful notes to you all! xxx

AMY WINESHOUSE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SINGERS IS ALWAYS HIGH ON HER PEEFORMANCES,SHE IS STILL ON PITCH BUT SHE TENDS TO CRACK A LOT. I GUESS THE DRUGS ARE RUINING HER VOCAL CORDS

While I don't agree with your points I see where you are coming from. We've both heard differing information therefore we are on different sides. I can also see I most likely won't be able to change your mind in any way, while you won't be able to change mine. Thank you for your response, I do enjoy hearing what other's have to say. However, please don't judge me like that. You don't have to fear for me, I'm living my life as I see fit. I will concede that I wasn't as informed as you in what emphysema is and it does sound like a terrible condition. But one of the points you made was that tabacco research was incorrect, but it was also dont with "vested interest." These scientific research facilities are not growing pot. They are trying to discover information about drugs. THC has never killed anyone, while it is toxic enough to overdose, the actual overdose limit is a high percentage that you would pass out long before it became dangerous. I never said that cancer was caused my a magical chemical. You misconstrued a response I made to someone who said cannabis was cured in paint thinner and chemicals. I know what cancer is and I also know from what has been researched THC does not cause it. But that's the point, we don't know everything. Maybe tomorrow they will find that THC does cause cancer. They could also find that eating excessively large amounts of vegetables can do the same. Finally, I try to see things from both ends. Every bit of info I've found saying cannabis is a major danger to society has come from the government. I'm sure there is more out there from other countries and from other research plants, but most of the scientific community agree that THC is harmless. I'm not against government, but everyone makes mistakes. Have you ever googled information about how safe cannabis is or the medical studies done? I don't mean to insult you and I'm sorry if I did, but please search for them. Give them a good read and see what they have to say. Thank you. ~~ Eric

Eric, I fear for you. I fear that you think emphysema is "the worst you can get" as though it is something like a cold.Emphysema is the slow and PROGRESSIVE cellular DESTRUCTION of your lungs. You suffocate slowly, very slowly, to death. It is not reversible. You do not recover. You die.You have done some rudimentary research to satisfy you that pot won't hurt you too much. I applaud you for that, But being well informed means keeping an open mind and considering the facts you find, from both sides, equally. You need to see who performed and funded the research as well. There was a huge amount of research which showed that smoking tobacco was harmless too, produced by those with a vested interest in its production and consumption.I don't have any idea about the DARE program. I am not American. So any anti Vietnam propaganda you claim does not transfer internationally. But I have watched bright funny clever and gifted friends turn into uninteresting blobs with no real inclination to change the world anymore, except to pull another b**g. I don't mean through uni, I mean for their adult years. And they smell. They always smell.I'm also concerned that you think cancer is caused by some kind of magical chemical reaction. Cancer happens when a cell does not form properly and your immune system doesn't notice. It doesn't have its proper life cycle and keeps growing. Sometimes it doesn't form properly because its parent cell is damaged. It can be damaged by a chemical, or a physical trauma- (like a mole which gets bumped or rubbed all the time needs to be watched for changes and are often removed). If you burn and reburn and reburn the structures in your throat and lungs, you are subjecting them to repeated trauma..which can result in a mutated cell which can result in cancer. This is the reality, not some convenient quote provided by fans of marijuana who want to decriminalise their habit.Equally, I'm afraid that the "benefit" for those suffering cancer, is in end stage palliative care. It ain't gonna make that cancer go away. It is used to dull the pain and anxiety felt by those who are near death. I would never begrudge someone in that stage any form of relief from their suffering.And Kris, you get yourself out of there girl!Doing back-ups for these people isn't going to get you in front of the mic! If you are wondering if it will hurt you, it means your body and your mind has recognised that it is hurting you already! You either put your foot down and tell them you won't sing for them if you can smell it, or you walk away. I tell you, standing up might make some stories about you, maybe even generate some interest, and get you a better gig with ppl with more respect for you, and themselves!  The only way is up, be strong and do it!!!!!

I'm amazed at how americans talk about smoking pot as if it was something normal like drinking cofee. Where I come from if someone is caugh smoking pot they are usually labelled as drug addicts and can get your rear end kicked from any job or establishment, it is looked down upon.The reason is that pot heads don't generally stop at weed they generally sooner or later will want to try more powerfull drugs.

I have to agree completely that the effect smoke has on your voice will bring about a lower quality and the dehydration inhibits your ability to sing comfortably, but much of what I've heard beyond that is quite uninformed gibberish. Cannabis has no nicotine or cancer causing agents and will therefore never bring about cancer by itself, the worst you can get is emphysema. Neither THC nor any other substance inside cannbis has a phyiscally addictive nature. The only people who become addicted to cannabis all have a mental addiction, something that someone can have to buying shoes, reading or just about anything else. Also, to the person who said they cure cannabis inside paint thinner and other poisonous substances, cannabis isn't cured in any substances, it requires dryness to combust. A soggy nugget is a useless nugget. Double blind studies have been done which shows a dirrect correlation between the percentage of people who smoked pot first and then went into harder drugs and the percentage of people who go into harder drugs regardless, which means cannabis is in no way a "Gateway" drug. Before I ever inhaled my first hit I did about a week of research to make sure this was a safe activity. The reason most people hear about the horrors of cannabis is through the DARE program in schools (which can be quoted saying the words "pot eats holes in your brain") and the FDA, both of which are run entirely by the USA. The "War on Drugs" was brought up to take some heat off of the Vietnam War, bring alot of the focus to our home and not over seas and to get rid of those dirty hippies protesting the war. Over one million non-violent offenders are in our jails for only possesion of drugs, yet the War on Drug's is still failing, both the amount of money and the amount of people doing drugs increases each year. If you don't believe me, please look it up. There are scientific studies done by many private testing facilities who have published papers stating that cannabis is safe and even has some small medical benefits (cancer). We need more people to look at the science and the facts rather than following what the majority says. Think for yourself, be yourself and make your own decisions.Thank you for your time My name is Eric by the way. Im not ashamed in any way about what I do.

Aside from the self-deception and such things, sticking strictly to physical condition,what if pot is only ingested through baked goods?it seems like the constant inhaling of the smoke would be mostly the cause of the vocal inadequacies. your feedback is appreciated. peace

 First off, I am 50 years old. I have smoked alot of pot in those years. I can say I have written some great songs while stoned. I can also say If I don't have any pot I won't go into my studio at all.     I was recently let go from an awesome zeppelin tribute band as my singing voice was too strained and unreliable. I just decided to quit pot because at my age this is likely my last chance. I plan on re-auditioning in the summer, for now I must rest my voice and not even talk for a few months. My voice has been slowly getting worse and worse and it is time to grow up and let go. I pray that god will let my voice return so I can tell the world.
 It might be fun to be stoned, but you will pay the price by sacrificing your true dreams.
   John
 

it doesn't matter whether you are talking about tobacco or cannabis. the physical  effects of smoke on your vocal chords are the same and not good. The psychological effects are different and those of cannabis might be good for one's creativity but have to be juggled with the untoward physical effects of smoking. Cookies might be goood. The effects of tobacco are only psychologically beneficial if you are addicted. They have no physical benefit.
I smoke ( both substances) on and off and  I have found that my control, my range and my power all increase when I don't imbibe. I'm currently not indulging and hope/intend to stay that way.
Smoking  can colour your voice (might be good) but at a cost.
Your call
Dez

 Self-deception, paranoia, dry-mouthed, potentially? harmful to your health and vocal abilities? Common sense [ what could that be?] would say that the choice to indulge in marijuana and sing is a crutch for one's inability to handle inner fears, or one's outright submission to self-absorption, which to me verifies one's lack of trust in one's creative abilities, or just exhibits plain selfishness.  But then, who of us is really that strong?  Only God can help you face the truth of your vocal gift and make you comfortable enough to share it  without being under the influence of potentially? harmful assistance.  I think it has something to do with - I can do all things with Him and can do nothing without Him?  Surely God can't be that big? Or would He have that much influence in my life?  Or would He really care?  As for me, I choose to believe He does care and if I ever - once again - have the opportunity to sing, I plan to trust Him to be my peaceful confidence as I pour my heart out in song without ["a little help from my friends"] harmful assistance.

I am in a band with a long time friend right now whose short term memory (playing chords and changing arrangements) is completely shot to hell. he sometimes forgets the same stuff 10 times in a row! he had 3 years of heavy pot smoking and the long term effects have made his life very difficult.  he has a hard time in college now because of it and i knew him before the drug use and he is completely changed for the worse. it's really sad and i hope no one thinks they can get away with heavy marijuana use without messing things up permanently

 I will say one thing, while I dont think it helps with singing (dry mouth is the major problem) the increase in mind body connection can really help the learning process. Its easier to visualise the vocal chords zipping up, "seeing resonnance" etc... I have had many breakthroughts while under the influence.

It's obvious that smoking anything will be detrimental to the singing voice.  Beyond that, however, I think a lot of the comments about marijuana use here just reflect the societal brainwash.  Most people's minds are manipulated by those that control the more powerful media.  First of all, most psychotropic drugs do not have guaranteed effects.  A drug is nothing by itself.  It only has meaning when it interacts with a living being.  Everyone does not have the same experience, psychologically or physiologically, be it the desired effect or side effect.  How could it be otherwise?  Neurologically, we'd all have to be exactly the same in every way!  It is interesting that the person who posted "For those who don't know" stated the fact that "there are other methods of getting THC into your system besides smoking."  Given that, the subject is now much more separated from the concept of voice inhibition or damage, right?  It's interesting how quickly thought gets limited, and the rational and moralistic avenues get severely jumbled.  Start thinking for yourself, people, and look to others who do!  A wise man once said to me, "to become a developed person, first, you must realize that everything you 'know' is wrong."  

i say marijuanna is alrite but smokes are really good when i become a dry singer but then i go for a smoke and it feels like i just been refreshed and then i am ready to sing again but then mari jane isnt really that good for you

For those who don't know...there are other methods of getting THC into your system.for starters...look up vaporizersnot to mention edibles And whoever said marijuana was a deadly crutch....please do your research. It's not an addictive substance. The poor cannabis plant has been villified beyond belief. Our country's drug policy really needs a rehaul--we're looking at an extremely antiquated and racist law. Like I said, do you research....Anyway, back on topic....any kind of smoke is going to do at least temporary damage; so if you perform best while you're 'lifted' find some other means to do it, and stay hydrated.

the laws in this country are made in a broken system by stupid people.  it's best not to pay them too much attention.

I have nothing to say about marijuana. Never smoked and never will. I was born with  a fragile constitution (and voice box). Some people were born with an incredible "instrument" and think they can keep abusing it since it doesn't seem to make a difference. And maybe it won't... Good for them, but this doesn't confirm that it's alright for others to do the same.Plenty of (healthy) liquid, I agree. However, my college voice teacher recommends to "ditch the water bottle" right before or during performance. Jerome Hines (great singer and author) called singers who walked around with plastic bottles in hand "water babies". Drinking water washes away  saliva, the very substance that keeps things lubricated. In the place of water, he recommends apple juice (no sugar added) It's the closest thing  we know of to saliva in terms of acidity (PH) and consistency, and it doesn't wash away saliva like water does. Cranberry juice comes in a close second. A mixture of the two isn't  a bad idea.If I drink water, I chew it to mix it with saliva, that's the best immediate way I found to hydrate my voice when there is only water available. 

 I have nothing to say about marijuana. Never smoked and never will. I was born with  a fragile constitution (and voice box). Some people were born with an incredible "instrument" and think they can keep abusing it since it doesn't seem to make a difference. And maybe it won't... Good for them, but this doesn't confirm that it's alright for others to do the same.Plenty of (healthy) liquid, I agree. However, my college voice teacher recommends to "ditch the water bottle" right before or during performance. Jerome Hines (great singer and author) called singers who walked around with plastic bottles in hand "water babies". Drinking water washes away  saliva, the very substance that keeps things lubricated. In the place of water, he recommends apple juice (no sugar added) It's the closest thing  we know of to saliva in terms of acidity (PH) and consistency, and it doesn't wash away saliva like water does. Cranberry juice comes in a close second. A mixture of the two isn't  a bad idea.If I drink water, I chew it to mix it with saliva, that's the best immediate way I found to hydrate my voice when there is only water available.

I have nothing to say about marijuana. Never smoked and never will. I was born with  a fragile constitution (and voice box). Some people were born with an incredible "instrument" and think they can keep abusing it since it doesn't seem to make a difference. And maybe it won't... Good for them, but this doesn't confirm that it's alright for others to do the same.Plenty of (healthy) liquid, I agree. However, my college voice teacher recommends to "ditch the water bottle" right before or during performance. Jerome Hines (great singer and author) called singers who walked around with plastic bottles in hand "water babies". Drinking water washes away  saliva, the very substance that keeps things lubricated. In the place of water, he recommends apple juice (no sugar added) It's the closest thing  we know of to saliva in terms of acidity (PH) and consistency, and it doesn't wash away saliva like water does. Cranberry juice comes in a close second. A mixture of the two isn't  a bad idea.If I drink water, I chew it to mix it with saliva, that's the best immediate way I found to hydrate my voice when there is only water available. 

Interesting and surprising topic to let loose! 

Can anyone read? The title of the article is, " Is Marijuana Good For My Singing Voice?.
Answer: no
Please take your legal, and moral discussions to other forums and go back to suing people or spewing the advice you're likely not licensed to dispense.
 
 
 
 

ok after reading almost all te comments and the article I have to ask the dumb/obvious question What if you don't smoke pot while preforming? I mean what if you don't smoke fore a while before hand? I ask because I smoke twice a week or so (less when I'm at school, something like once a month and when I worked on a musical in the fall I smoked maybe three times during the entire run which was four months from auditions to closing)... and from what I can see I just need to be hydrated and warmed up and I sound the same as I ever have. We could talk about the evils of pot and it being illegal for much longer than we alredy have, but all I know is when my great aunt who was dying of cancer wanted a joint, nobody said no.  But I do completely see everyone's point on smoke inhalation...  

I have been doing the rock and roll thing for 15?+ years, and I have to say the following: 1. Yeah. Smoking anything is unlikely to help you improve actual vocal ability.2. Smoking anything might make your voice worse. Or, potentially, it could make it more interesting, but I'm pretty sure as a result of that interestingness, will shorten your singing career or at least impair your range and perhaps ability to sing at all over time.but! (as it appears to be for J.A.) - 3. If you really think you can successfully get away with the results of smoking and what it does to you when (and when you don't) perform, and the results of the smoking are ok with you and your band and people you need in your life - go for it. People make art in all kinds of ways, and if your way works, rock on. I think the odds are slim for most people, but I'm not saying its impossible. Crafty thing, genetics....  

Get a grip people!
it's illegal, and it's just a deadly crutch. either you have the ability to draw and build your  talent or you  resort  to something unnecessary.

it certainly has that effect on some people, but not everyone.  for me it's more like coffee.  i think it is contradictory to say it makes people tired and lazy but to acknowledge that pot can facilitate creativity (hence it's popularity among musicians); creativity is not spawned by being tired and lazy.i think we should be very careful with claims of the effects of pot.  i think it depends on many factors - i think it treats different people very differently (often completely oppositely), i think it depends on how one uses it (e.g. small doses vs large), and i think it depends on one's psychology.  i think it can enhance a starting psychology, so that whichever way one is "leaning" (e.g. toward being tired), it can bring one further in that direction.i think people who use pot are one of the most discriminated against groups in this country.  the stereotypes associated with this group are akin to racial stereotypes - they reflect a severe misunderstanding and unjustified intolerence.just in the above posts we have the following claims about the effects of pot:  makes you apathetic, stupid, slows you down, reduces coordination.  i completely disagree with all of these assertions.  if you really believe this, you simply don't know enough people, or you don't know enough about enough people.  many of the most brilliant, motivated, and active people use pot; you just might not know they do. 

First let me say, I did smoke the herb in my youth when I was in the band Oasis with Jim Royce. But long gave it up to keep my voice as clear and healthy as I can to sing A Capella.

Have you ever noticed people who smoke (doesn't matter which) constantly clear their throats? That lovely hacking sound sometimes accompanied by a chunck of gunk to spit out? My professor says to think of it this way: when you inhale smoke, you basically are Burning everything the voice needs to do it's job. Envision Thousands of tiny pus filled BLISTERS forming from being Burned by the inhaling smoke -- I saw this demonstarted on a live Scope down a smokers throat years ago -- it's factual. Then when you speak or sing, and the folds accuate and come together to create sound, (such as it is) the blisters "pop" and all that pus comes out... (yuck) that is what smokers are constantly gagging on and trying to bring up when they are "clearing" their voices... which is so bad for your voice in general to SMASH the folds together in that fashion. Once you give up your smoking habit, it will take appx. 6 months to a year to heal your blisters. and 1 final note; once healed-- you can burn it all over again with just 1 inhale.

 Do u have any idea what pot is cured in before it makes it to your lungs?  How bout this....paint thinner, household cleaners and a list that would fill a page. Your singing careers will end suddenly when one day you visit you Doctor and he tells you you have  lung cancer.. Stop pretending this stuff is good for you and fix your addiction to this stuff.  Singers have been making excuses for this stuff for years. if you re afraid of the stage, try relaxation exercises. Stop making this stuff your vice for fear. And the newest medical study out of England now confirms pot WILL over time bring on yes thats right  multiple personality disorder... Give your heads a shake!

Look pot may slow you down a bit and certainly inhaling hot smoke is never going to be good for you BUT people are defining too narrowly what it means to sing well.Many people find that pot lowers their inhibitions and makes them feel more creative. While some of this may be self-delusional, it's no secret that many of the most cherished recordings and performances were made under the influence.Sure, pot is not good for you, neither is alcohol. But hey I DO perform better after a beer, it relaxes me and lets me focus on the music.

Well... the only thing I can offer to this discussion is that smoking is smoking. Everyone knows that smoking increases your risk of cancers, damages your vocal chords, and is hard to stop doing. People will say that smoking a joint is not addictive, and that is true: the chemical THC is not an addictive drug. It's the feeling that is addictive, so though you may think you're not addicted at all, you may be addicted to the feeling of being high. Marijuana is also a well known gateway drug. I'm not saying that everyone who smokes pot will start shooting up or smoking crack, but, it does increase your risk for these things. Smoking in general is bad for the lungs and everything leading to them. It's just not healthy. 

Besides the effects that smoking marijuana has on the lungs and throat, the effect it seems to have on most people's brains should also probably be taken into consideration. I and everyone I knew who smoked marijuana on a regular basis not only did and said stupid things (forgetting a guitar cable even though you brought the guitar and the amp, or driving two hours to hand-deliver someone a demo but forgetting to bring the demo... things like that), we also suffered from severe memory-loss - and the worst part about it is we either thought it was funny or just didn't care.Apathy in a smug form is the most obvious side effect of marijuana I've seen, and from knowing many users I don't think anyone is immune.Smug, apathetic people are horrible to be around, and perhaps a bit of smoking for the experience and the creative mind expansion is okay to try a few times, but as a regular practice, long-term, it just destroys everything....

While I agree 100% with the common sense knowledge that smoking anything is not good for your voice, I am extremely insulted by what I have read here.  The "Reefer Madness" mentality I have seen displayed simply shows the true ignorance of those who have no knowledge of what they speak.
For example, in one post the individual puts cannabis in the same catagory as narcotics. This could not be further from the truth.   Another uses the term "junkie" to describe a consumer of cannabis.  A junkie was and is a heroin addict, not a smoker. The many positive uses of cannabis for medical purposes can not be refuted, and anyone can do the research to prove just that.  So before you open your mouths with such uninformed trash, try educating yourselves.
What is obvious is the "Christian Condemnation" I see so much of.  People who mindlessly make judgment upon those who choose not to follow their beliefs, just because some preacher somewhere told them it was wrong.
Why don't you stop the "Witch Hunt".and try to show some of that "Christian Love" .

The problem with this question is that there are two interplaying issues.
Aside from these, we could debate for hours where "my voice" starts and finishes! "my voice could simply be the delicate membranes, the vocal folds of the larynx, or could include the lungs and diaphragm, or your entire body, heart and soul. I'll leave that decision to you.
The first issue is that marijuana is normally ingested as smoke. There are innumerable studies and published research describing how the inhalation of smoke damages tissues. Please do not claim that "marijuana has never been proven..blah..blah.." PLEASE!!!!!! ANY smoke inhaled WILL damage your mouth, throat and all anatomical structures of your airways. Most of these structures are very fragile and only a cell or so thick. (Please don't bother to dispute this without looking up a real anatomy textbook.)
It is because of the thinness of these structures that chemicals can so easily enter the bloodstream after being inhaled. If these cells are dried out by smoke, they break. Sometimes they heal, sometimes they die, sometimes they scar. Scaring of the lungs is the cause of emphysema. It has nothing to do with tobacco or asbestos, volcanic ash or heart disease. No matter what the source, the result is the same. Cell damage and cell death. The lowest level of damage is cellular dehydration. Having a glass of water will no more fix it than sitting in cold water will reverse sunburn. It may give some relief, but it is already too late.
People DIE from smoke inhalation. (hot air or smoke burns the airways and you suffocate to death..not a pleasant way to go..) This is not about an argument over tobacco vs. marijuana. We are talking about smoke. Its source is irrelevant. It will do the same thing.
If you are absolutely certain that your performance is enhanced by marijuana use, perhaps you should consider one of the more creative ways to consume it.  There are plenty I've heard about since my teens..
No human being with any respect for their body, their health or their future should ever deliberately ( and/ or repeatedly) inhale any smoke, or indeed any chemical, from any source.
The second issue is that of the effect consuming marijuana has on one's mental state. I do not want to debate the pros and cons of marijuana use here. My comments apply to the altered state of the performer.
Any chemical used to effect performance works by reducing inhibition i.e., it turns off the bit of your brain that stops you doing stupid things- you get "uninhibited". By default, it also makes you think that you are doing these things better. This applies to singing, public speaking, driving..
Unfortunately, inhibition also makes sure you are doing things properly and carefully. By turning it off, you turn off your quality control mechanism..all the while being assured by that same nasty chemical that you are indeed so much better than normal!
I host karaoke gigs and competitions, and I see this night after night. Someone starts early and sings, perhaps a little nervously, but pitching and controlling quite well. As the night progresses and the drinks tally rises, they get worse and worse, in the end, acting like they sing like a pro, but barely even finding the notes, often just yelling at the music. But their perception of their performance is that it is just amazing.
The most telling we had was a regular who sang song after song at a really quiet venue, but was always highly intoxicated, and convinced she was fantastic, ( a really sweet girl, but honestly, she was woeful). After some months she fell pregnant and gave up drinking. That night she sang far better than we had ever heard her, but she thought something was wrong with her..she kept saying " that sounds really bad through the speakers tonight.."
I never drink when I'm singing, even at the karaoke gigs. It is no major performance, but I respect my audience, and myself, too much to give less than my best on the night. When I can hear what I'm doing, I can learn and do more with every performance.
To deliberately cloud and distort your perspective of your performance, and also your audience's reaction to your performance, is to deny yourself of the truest high that performance can give. You are treating your audience with contempt by deliberately distancing yourself from them, and the experience of the gig. If you don't love your audience, how can they love you?
There are always exceptions and “legends” who by their very definition, are different from us “mere mortals”. But the fact is that most of us ARE the mere mortals…
The singer is a constantly evolving instrument. A singer should be, and can, always be finding ways to improve and grow. How can you claim to be a passionate singer or artist while damaging your most precious tool.

This is definitely gonig to generate a lot of opinions-very very divergent , but the fact remains that the health implications of taking marijuana or any other "performance enhancing  stuff " are very gravious, and negative. Let those that have ear listen and comply.Brett has said it all.Users are gonig through delusion and deception.
I will be surprised if any USER will have the patience and composure to read and respond to this posser ,let alone submit a resonable arguement why he uses it. If usage is not for self deception then users are just going after a small but loud crowd.
Thank you Brett Pls keep it up.

Smoking anything (by definition) is NOT good for your voice. I have known several people who DO smoke and ARE performers but it really doesn't differ greatly from drinking alcohol in that it decreases coordination and dries the throat at the very minimum...so don't do  it within reasonable time of performing. Re: the above and the, "need to relax," performing is not the time to relax- its the time to experience the best high you've ever felt- performing your art as a means of expression to an audience which has (usually) paid money to see you. If you're concerned about stage fright, the only way to overcome that is by continuing to perform. Otherwise, put your head on straight and release yourself from the crutches of an implied need and simply don't smoke when you perform. Do that stuff after if need be. Anything that makes you less of a performer is unacceptable and runs contrary to the very definition of professional. Also, from what I have heard if you simply must imbibe in cannibus, try the vaporizer thing mentioned above- I heard it greatly decreases the negative health aspects. 

I don't feel this article has fully given  "a concise, effectual answer pertaining to vocal health" at all.
When cigarette smoke is inhaled, it not only dries up the layer of mucus that protects the vocal folds, it burns the cilia - tiny hairs that line the airway to prevent infection. Basically, you're "stripping" your throat.
By singing on a "stripped" throat, you encourage oedema (swelling of the folds), which can result in haemorrhaging and irreparable scarring of the folds (to include "the dreaded nodules") - leading to all sorts of problems with voice production. 
These symptoms are exacerbated by smoking cannabis, since cannabis burns at a far higher temperature than ordinary cigarettes, resulting in potentially higher damage to the vocal folds. 
Cannabis, like alcohol, not only dehydrates but RELAXES the vocal folds, meaning the singer has to work far harder to bring them together cleanly - which often results in over-singing to compensate.
Needless to say, any kind of regular smoking decreases lung capacity.
Regular cannabis use can lead to depression; studies have shown that depression can have an adverse effect on the vocal mechanism.
As for dehydration, it takes TWENTY minutes for ingested water to reach its destination; since the body doesn't consider the vocal mechanism as a "vital organ", the larynx is one of the last places in the body to get hydration - this is why regular water intake is essential for singers. Regular steaming (bowl, hot water, towel - and NOTHING put in the water) is an excellent way of hydrating the voice.
Regular smokers often have a considerably narrower vocal range than non-smokers; many singers report that the effects of regular smoking go unnoticed until their forties. I have a friend in her mid forties who was a soprano only ten years ago - she now has little/no controllable head register, and has a range from Eb3 to G4; as a result, she has been told that her career is almost certainly over, with regular smoking being the principal cause of damage.
Singers that have given up smoking can often improve not only their lung capacity, but also their range by up to a 6th after six months.
Singers that start smoking often report a loss of their upper register; one friend (a tenor) became a baritone within three months. He eventually gave up - and his range returned. 
Obviously, it's a case of "horses for courses" - but one has to admit that the medical evidence clearly comes down on one side of the fence. 
For further information, contact the British Voice Association! 

It seems that those who smoke pot are the only ones who seem to think there's no problem with it. Remember the comment about self-deception? Are you the person who says you perform better under the influence or did someone else tell you? Do you have trustworthy friends who'll critique you?  This raises another question for me about dehydration. What about drinking caffeine and soda?

i must just say that bob marley (probably my favororite artist of all time) was not pitch perfect.  have you ever heard some of his live performances?  although always passionate, not always pitch perfect.  which in reality is okay.  but to argue that smoking pot doesnt hurt your voice because bob marley did, is really a poor arguement. 
 
this article gives scientifically proven facts about how marijuana affects you, physically and emotionally.  not personal experience.  id like to see an actual arguement as to why it doesnt hurt your voice - with scientific evidence - not just, "i do it and i am fine."  who knows?  maybe you are fine, but maybe over all these years, you could have been even better...  but arent because of it???
 
also, what are your opinions on smoking ciggarettes and how that affects your voice?

 To be honest, I have PERSONALLY( not my opinion)  experienced changes in my voice when I began smoking. Smoking causes the voice to deepen and become raspier.  I also found out it affects lung capacity as well. Although I smoke and know the possible consequences, it is up to every smoker to to know the pros and cons and be as active in finding a way to combat the negative sides as you do in  creating your music or you will suffer. The suffering may not be because the smoking made your singing worse but because it wont allow your voice to grow and become stagnant and cap off at where you are now. To make along convo short: if you smoke you need to find something to counteract the effects (i.e. quitting or other methods) of the smoke or you will experience no growth.

Hello all,Jesse Nemitz's article is one of the best texts I have seen on this matter and he succeeded in leaving out the emotions that can come up on this quite charged subject.In my teens 30 years ago I used to join friends smoking pot, consumed maybe one third of a joint per week, a mere fraction of what the others inhaled. I had to stop 4 months before my major exams came up because my memory of learning my materials leaked like a sieve. Luckily that improved in the nick of time.Due to a personal interest regarding the dangers of drugs (5 people I have personally known died from different consequences of drug abuse, including my youngest sister) I studied the behavior of fellow musicians who used narcotics, mostly pot, in the last 20 years.I'll skip the heart-breaks and just make a long story short:I now refuse to work on projects with anyone smoking pot. Besides reduced quality in their performance, it seems that these people literally invite Murphy's laws.

Hi , am a singer and i mostly do vocal back ups for  the Hip Hop  friends of mine in ma hood but they smoke alot of that sheet in ma presence,  will it affect me in any way  vocally?      thx