Cannabis Use Leads to Greater Sex Enjoyment (Of Course)

Can cannabis improve your sex life? Regardless of whether public health authorities or social moralists have condoned it or not, people have embarked upon this fact-finding mission for centuries, leaving behind cultural documents which inform adult-use cultures to this day. As to whether or not there’s any truth to this, research on the effects of cannabis on sex has been ongoing since the ‘70s. And most recently, a paper authored by researchers at Spain’s University of Almeira in Spain interviewed 274 subjects aged 18-30 about their use of cannabis — as well as alcohol — and how both affected various components of their sex life, from arousal, sexual function and orgasm. And at least in Spain, it appears that cannabis users are clearly having more sex and more fun with than those who abstain.

These findings are in keeping with prior survey research in other parts of the world. For instance, a British Columbian study cited by the paper found that of the 216 people polled, 38.7% found that their enjoyment of sex was heightened by cannabis. The current research drilled deeper into specific types of cannabis use, from heavy to abstinent, and sexual function, measured by the Changes in Sexual Function Questionnaire Short-Form, to determine more granularly how cannabis may help or hinder people in their ongoing quest for sexual satisfaction.

SURVEY SAYS…

Those interviewed for the survey are best characterized as a “convenience sample,” meaning that the subjects were close at hand, rather than pulled randomly. This is often done in studies when polling about grey-area behaviors. The majority of those polled were women (67.5%), heterosexual (89.8%) and at lower risk for problematic cannabis use (63.9%). However, those who were at higher risk for cannabis problems had better arousal and orgasms when compared to non-users. And in general, people who use cannabis had superior sexual function than non-users. In particular, more frequent cannabis users scored better in sexual function and arousal than non-users. No difference was detected between males or females.

The paper’s indicate the increasing awareness of cannabis’s positive effects on sex, particularly for women. In the British Columbia study, for instance, 50.8% of women reported it being easier to reach orgasm, and 29% of them said they experienced greater lubrication as well. Even more revealing was a survey conducted in 2019 in Sexual Medicine which polled 373 women. Of those who used cannabis before sex, “68.5 percent stated that the overall sexual experience was more pleasurable, 60.6 percent noted an increase in sex drive, and 52.8 percent reported an increase in satisfying orgasms.” In keeping with the British Columbia study, the women who used cannabis before sex had 2.13 times better odds of reaching climax than those who hadn’t. Interestingly, these women did not report experiencing increased lubrication on cannabis, however. This body of evidence shows that cannabis’ influence on the sexual experience can be highly variabile.

WHAT TURNS YOU ON?

The most recent study coming out of Spain found an association in reduction of shame and anxiety with improved sexual relations. And as it turns out, certain cannabis strains may assist in this. For example, Healthline suggests that Bubba Kush, Skywalker OG Kush, Blueberry Lambs Bread and Kosher Kush, for some consumers, may be particularly helpful in reducing anxiety. Back here at Hytiva, one of our correspondents wrote a stimulating piece on Grandaddy Purp, credited with a luxuriously extended peak and more stimulating, imaginative play. There’s also a helpful tutorial on how to reach the heights with a carefully prepared cannabis-infused sex session.