Home Health Do sex and cannabis go together?

Do sex and cannabis go together?

A study from The Journal of Sexual Medicine led by gynaecologist Dr. Becky Kaufman Lynn found that marijuana use prior to sex makes sex more pleasurable for women.

The internet is full of claims that marijuana can improve sexual experience, yet, scientific data is lacking. So Lynn decided to lead a study at the Saint Louis University medical school after women kept asking her for advice about mixing cannabis and sex.

The objective of the study, later published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, was to determine if marijuana use before sex affects the sexual experience, by how much, and what is affected. The study found that “the majority of women [who said that they mixed sex and cannabis] said the sexual experience was improved, orgasms were improved, the libido was improved, pain was improved, and lubrication really didn’t change,” said Lynn. She suggests that one reason may be because marijuana can lower anxiety and stress, which can give women more confidence in their sexual ability, and may heighten sensation.

California-based sex educator Ashley Manta says that cannabis helps get distractions out of the way as well. “I have had it be really effective for days when my stress level is off the charts and I can’t turn off my brain and I want to just make those spinning gears stop so that I can be present with my partner,” says Manta. “Cannabis really helps me get out of my head and actually get present in my body.”

If you are new to marijuana, it is a good idea to experiment with it first, and do some trial and error. It is suggested to use cannabis in small doses to get the best result. Sometimes too much can make you sleepy, or feel paranoid. Manta says that “microdosing,” taking small amounts of marijuana, can be a great start—as low as 2.5mg or lower, and then working your way up slowly to see which dosage works best for you.

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Author: Alexa Hurst is a writer for Optimyz and Silver magazines based in Halifax, Canada.