The research is thin, but anecdotal experience in the United States suggests that the right dose and delivery method of cannabis can make a positive difference to sex for some people, writes Christina Caron for The New York Times.
This is a shortened version of a story published on 1 April 2022 in The New York Times, which allows non-subscribing people to read three stories for free each month:
Whether cannabis can be added to potential remedies for low libido is a question that is especially relevant now that the US House of Representatives has passed a bill decriminalising marijuana at the federal level.
Cannabis, the mostly commonly used drug that is federally illegal, is currently allowed for medical use in 37 states, and in 18 states for adult recreational use.
To learn more about cannabis and sex we turned to several experts, Caron writes.
The bottom line: It’s hard to say with certainty that cannabis will increase desire or improve your sex life, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the right dose of cannabis can make a woman’s orgasms more satisfying and increase sex drive.
This is in part because cannabis can enhance the senses and also alleviate some of the symptoms that inhibit desire, like anxiety, sleeplessness or pain. It can have positive effects for men, as well, but also several negative ones, and women should be aware of its potential downsides, too.
What does the research say? asks The New York Times.
Both men and women have long reported that cannabis alters their sexual experience. In an essay published in 1971, the astronomer Carl Sagan, a long-time marijuana user, wrote that cannabis “enhances the enjoyment of sex” and “gives an exquisite sensitivity”.
But there is very little research on cannabis and libido.
But based on the limited evidence, the drug does seem to enhance the sexual experience among many women who already use it.
“I’ve had several patients come to me and say, ‘I have low libido. Can you help me? And, oh, by the way, if I use marijuana, I can orgasm, no problem,’” said Dr Becky K Lynn, a sexual medicine and menopause expert and the founder of Evora Women’s Health in St Louis. “They also tell me that low libido improves with marijuana.”
Lynn, who also teaches at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, is the lead author of a study published in 2019 that surveyed 373 women about cannabis. Of those, 34% reported having used marijuana before sexual activity and most of them said it resulted in an increased sex drive, improved orgasm and decreased pain.
Studies have also found that some women use cannabis to help manage menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and vaginal changes, such as dryness, all of which may contribute to lower libido when untreated, The New York Times continues.
In addition, an online survey of more than 200 women and men who use cannabis found that nearly 60% said cannabis increased their desire for sex; almost 74% reported increased sexual satisfaction. But the study, which was conducted by researchers in Canada and published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, also said that 16% reported sex was better in some ways and worse in others, and a little under 5% said it was worse.
Research on cannabis use and sexual function among men is likewise sparse and can be contradictory.
‘Start low and go slow’
All drugs have risks and potential side effects, cannabis included.
Dr Peter Grinspoon, a primary-care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea HealthCare Center and a medical cannabis consultant, advised taking a “teeny bit” in a tincture if you’re new to it – in some cases as little as 1 milligram of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed – before slowly working your way up.
“At low doses, cannabis helps libido, but at high doses, it often isn’t as effective,” he said.
Lynn agreed. “Start low and go slow,” she said, reports The New York Times.
How much is too much marijuana? That will vary from person to person
And because cannabis is known to impair judgment, coordination and reaction time, those who use psychoactive drugs before or during sex “must take into consideration whether people using the product and their partners can have safe and consensual sex,” said Dr Stacy Tessler Lindau, a gynaecologist at the University of Chicago Medicine and the creator of WomanLab, a website about sexual health.
Dr Jordan Tishler, president of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, recommended trying cannabis alone for the first few times and masturbating, in order “to understand what it does to the body and sensations”.
Lynn typically recommends tinctures, which are concentrated cannabis extracts that are taken by mouth. It is easy to measure the number of milligrams you want to use, she said.
Tishler usually advises his clients to start with 5 mg of THC. Taking one puff on a cannabis flower vaporiser before having a sexual experience can work faster and more predictably than edibles or lubricants infused with THC, he said.
The New York Times story – (Restricted access)
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