What You Need to Know About Cannabis and Sex
Sex and cannabis make for more than just an attention-grabbing topic; the two activities go together surprisingly well. If you’re thinking about pairing these two popular pastimes, here are a few things to know. Keep in mind, a lot of what we understand about sex and weed is based on anecdotal evidence and everyone reacts to cannabis uniquely, therefore you’ll need to experiment to find what’s right for you and your partner(s). Luckily, this type of science is appealing to most people.
The History of Cannabis and Sex
The legal sale of cannabis is a relatively recent development in many U.S. states—California legalized medical marijuana in 1996, while Colorado legalized recreational weed in just 2012. Consequently, the combination of cannabis and sex can feel as new as Netflix and chilling, however, this alluring union dates as far back as the seventh century. Cannabis consumption was part of some Tantra rituals—a Hindu-Buddhist tradition.
Women, Weed, and Sex
The effect cannabis has on women, their sex lives, and sexual experiences are significant, especially when compared to men. Studies and surveys have shown that the use of cannabis does everything from increase sex drives to intensify orgasms.
Increased Libido
Weed has been shown to increase women’s sexual desire. A 2013 study had women watch pornography before and after consuming THC. The erotic films had little effect on the women watching them before cannabis consumption, but after cannabis, there was a substantial increase in arousal levels. Similarly, data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) shows that female marijuana users had sex 7.1 times over the past four weeks compared to six times on average for those who haven’t used cannabis in the past year.
Better Orgasms
Numerous studies and surveys have indicated that women using cannabis before sex enjoy increased satisfaction and heightened orgasms. A 2019 study found that 68.5% of women who used marijuana before sex found the overall sexual experience more pleasurable. Some studies have shown that marijuana use may not even have to occur immediately prior to sex for effectiveness—that same 2019 study found that women who frequently consume cannabis, regardless of when, were more than twice as likely to report satisfactory orgasms than infrequent marijuana users.
Why Weed Works for Women
Because marijuana is illegal at the federal level, there are numerous barriers to studying it. This means that much of what we know about the effect of weed on women’s sexual experience is based on conjecture. Researchers speculate that consuming weed before sex lowers anxiety and discomfort associated with sex and heightens the euphoric effect of both activities.
Men, Mary Jane, and Making Love
While women seem to be the big beneficiaries of combining ganja and getting it on, men can also benefit from this winning combination.
Increased Desire
Similar to the effect weed has on women, Mary Jane also increases the libido of male users. Stanford researchers discovered that men who consumed cannabis weekly had 22% more sex than those who abstain from weed, while a 2017 study noted that both male weekly and daily cannabis users had sex more frequently than nonusers.
More Excitement for Male Stoners
There’s conflicting research about the relationship between cannabis use and erectile function, but there is some evidence that consuming marijuana before sex can increase confidence in men and reduce anxiety. All of this is good news for guys who are shy about sex and whose anxiousness makes it tough to rise to the occasion.
Too Much May Have An Adverse Effect
There is truth to the old saying that there’s too much of a good thing. While consuming weed can boost male sex drive, too much can have a counter effect. Perry Solomon, M.D., the chief medical officer at HelloMD, warns: “You get that classic stoner couch lock and lose your desire to have sex at all.” It’s also worth considering that some studies have suggested a link between cannabis use and erectile dysfunction.
A smart strategy for men looking to avoid weed-related issues in the bedroom (or wherever else you get down) is to stick to low dosages—think buzzed, not super high.
Joint Benefits
Although there’s still a lot of research left to do, it seems that consuming cannabis is good for the sex lives of both men and women. A study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine observed that 20% of Americans who had used marijuana in the past year had more sex than those that did not, while another survey of 200 men and women discovered that 60% of them said cannabis use increased their desire for sex and almost 74% reported that it improved their sexual satisfaction.
Bringing Bhang into the Bedroom
Just like we encourage new users to go low and slow when first trying cannabis, we suggest the same tact when getting busy with bud. That is, start with low doses and slowly increase them over time. Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary-care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea HealthCare Center and a medical-cannabis consultant, cautions that, “At low doses, cannabis helps libido, but at high doses, it often isn’t as effective.” It’s also worth noting that everyone is affected differently and while many people will find consuming cannabis makes orgasming easier, some may find that it inhibits them.
Lowkey Dispensary
Whether you’re looking for some bud to bring into the bedroom, an edible for an intimate encounter, or some tincture for your Tinder date, Lowkey is the spot. Our dispensary has everything you need to put extra bhang in your sex life—from high-quality cannabis to awesome accessories to tantalizing topicals. Our budtenders can even offer advice on the best strains for getting busy.
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