Cannabis and sex

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Human consumption of cannabis (which is commonly known as marijuana, pot or weed) is commonly thought to enhance sexual pleasure [1] [2] but there is limited scientific research on the relationship between cannabis and sex, in part due to U.S. drug policies that focus on prohibition. [3] Effects of cannabis are difficult to study because sexual arousal and functioning are extremely complex and differ among individuals. [3] Cannabis affects people differently, making it difficult to study. Both men and women report greater sexual pleasure after having consumed cannabis but there is no scientific evidence of the effects on the physiological components of the sexual response cycle when using the drug. [1]

Contents

Research

As of 2010, research on the effects of cannabis on sex in humans is limited to self-report studies. [4] This type of study has disadvantages because it requires people to accurately remember how much they consumed and its effects, leaving researchers unable to verify responses. [3] In these studies, the majority of people who consumed cannabis before sex reported they experienced greater pleasure than those without it. [1] [2] Researchers believe this reported increase in sexual pleasure is likely a result of the drug’s effects on the senses. In particular, it commonly makes users feel more relaxed. [1]

Some research says the amount of cannabis consumed affects one's sexual experience. In one study, 59% of users thought sexual pleasure was enhanced after smoking one joint, though 39% thought consuming more than one joint provided any further enhancement; [1] and large doses of cannabis have been used in India as a sexual depressant. [5] [2]

It is not clear whether cannabis consumption affects the quality of orgasms; over half of male consumers, as well as a lower percentage of female consumers, reported it enhances their orgasms. [1] In a small study published in 1979, 84 graduate students, the majority of whom were men and identified as "experienced smokers", believed cannabis increased the intensity of orgasms and should be considered an aphrodisiac. [6] Some more-recent studies said orgasms are improved with cannabis use. [7] [8]

Studies on the effects of cannabis consumption on sex have shown few other significant physical improvements. In 1979, Masters and Johnson completed a five-year-long study with a sample size of 800 men and 500 women whose ages ranged between 18 and 30 years old. In this study, men reported no improvements in maintaining erections or any increase in penile firmness. Women reported no increase of vaginal lubrication. [1] [2]

A study in 2017 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at data from the large, nationally representative National Survey of Family Growth and included more than 28,000 women and nearly 23,000 men. It reviewed survey responses on the frequency of cannabis consumption and intercourse in the four weeks prior to the survey. It found women who consumed cannabis daily had an average of 7.1 sexual encounters in the previous four weeks compared with 6 for those who never consumed it. Men who consumed cannabis daily reported having 6.9 sexual encounters on average compared with 5.6 in those men who never consumed it. [9]

There is evidence of the negative effects of cannabis use during sex. Some studies show a correlation between chronic cannabis use and reduced testosterone levels in men. [4] It has been found heavy use of cannabis decreases the sperm count of healthy men, though this reduction can be reversed. [5] Habitual use of cannabis is also linked to decreased sexual performance while increasing sexual arousal. [4]

Psychotropic mechanism

The effects of cannabis begin as a chemical process in the brain in which the neural communication network becomes altered. Tetrahydrocannabinol's (THC) chemical structure is similar to that of anandamide, which is responsible for sending chemical messages between neurons throughout the nervous system. [10] The brain areas that are affected influence memory, pleasure, thinking, concentration, movement, coordination, and sensory and time perception. These areas include the amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and prefrontal cortex. Within those areas are cannabinoid receptors that make up a part of the endocannabinoid system. [11]

Such effects within the nervous system may vary among individuals. Cannabis influences experiences of sexual pleasure and memory in distinctive ways. Studies have observed differences between male and female neuropsychological functioning. While the results have shown little significant differences, limited studies have been undertaken with very small sample sizes. [12]

Sexual pleasure

A study published in March 2019 observing women using cannabis prior to sex and their sexual function measured outcomes of satisfaction in drive, orgasm, lubrication, dyspareunia, sexual experience, and the frequency of cannabis use on satisfaction. [13] The results of the study show women who used cannabis prior to having sex are more likely to have satisfactory orgasms and an increased sex drive. Women who frequently use cannabis had higher chances of satisfactory orgasms, regardless of whether they used it prior to sex. Such results show cannabis has a positive relationship to increased sexual satisfaction, and such results can be considered in research to develop treatment for female sexual dysfunction. In another study, a large portion of participants reported having increased desire and sexual satisfaction while using cannabis before sex. In contrast, some reported the experience being worse than usual. [14]

Memory

The orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus help with the formation of new memories, and cannabinoid receptors are found in these areas. Thus, cannabis will affect abilities regarding memory and learning. While using cannabis to enhance sexual experience and satisfaction, cannabis will also influence perception and sensation. [12] Studies conducted observe neurocognitive behaviour of individuals under the influence of cannabis and the relationship between cannabis with risky behaviour.[ citation needed ]

Cannabis can have negative effects on learning and memory. Cannabis users show lower spans of attention, concentration, and abstract reasoning than non-users. [12] Cannabis use impairs neurocognitive functioning, and the user may lose the ability to effectively recall or learn while intoxicated. This can hinder responses to the surrounding environment and decision-making, leading to the individual's inability to accurately remember details accurately or their perception of time becomes distorted. While such results are studied, the neurocognitive domains remain inconsistent in results when observing neurocognitive behaviour of users. One study observed the risky behaviour ([ clarification needed ] of individuals who use cannabis. [15] The findings of the study revealed that adolescents who use cannabis are more likely to voluntarily engage in unprotected sex repeatedly, while the participants who never used cannabis or started to use cannabis after adolescence were less likely to have unprotected sex.[ citation needed ]

Products

There are a variety of cannabis-infused sex products, such as lubricants and massage oils containing CBD and THC. [16]

Related Research Articles

In psychology, libido is psychic drive or energy, usually conceived of as sexual in nature, but sometimes conceived of as including other forms of desire. The term libido was originally developed by Sigmund Freud, the pioneering originator of psychoanalysis. With direct reference to Plato's Eros, the term initially referred only to specific sexual desire, later expanded to the concept of a universal psychic energy that drives all instincts and whose great reservoir is the id. The libido - in its abstract core differentiated partly according to its synthesising, partly to its analytical aspect called life- and death-drive - thus becomes the source of all natural forms of expression: the behaviour of sexuality as well as striving for social commitment, skin pleasure, food, knowledge and victory in the areas of species- and self-preservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aphrodisiac</span> Substance intended to rouse sexual desires

An aphrodisiac is a substance alleged to increase libido, sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. These substances range from a variety of plants, spices, and foods to synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs, such as cannabis or cocaine, are classified into plant-based and non-plant-based substances. Synthetic aphrodisiacs include MDMA and methamphetamine. Aphrodisiacs can be classified by their type of effects. Aphrodisiacs that contain hallucinogenic properties, such as bufotenin, have psychological effects that can increase sexual desire and sexual pleasure. Aphrodisiacs that have smooth muscle relaxing properties, such as yohimbine, have physiological effects that can affect hormone concentrations and increase blood flow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis edible</span> Food item containing cannabis extract or cannabinoids

A cannabis edible, also known as a cannabis-infused food or simply an edible, is a food item that contains decarboxylated cannabinoids from cannabis extract as an active ingredient. Although edible may refer to either a food or a drink, a cannabis-infused drink may be referred to more specifically as a liquid edible or drinkable. Edibles are a way to consume cannabis. Unlike smoking, in which cannabinoids are inhaled into the lungs and pass rapidly into the bloodstream, peaking in about ten minutes and wearing off in a couple of hours, cannabis edibles may take hours to digest, and their effects may peak two to three hours after consumption and persist for around six hours. The food or drink used may affect both the timing and potency of the dose ingested.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of cannabis</span>

The short-termeffects of cannabis are caused by many chemical compounds in the cannabis plant, including 113 different cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and 120 terpenes, which allow its drug to have various psychological and physiological effects on the human body. Different plants of the genus Cannabis contain different and often unpredictable concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids and hundreds of other molecules that have a pharmacological effect, so the final net effect cannot reliably be foreseen. Acute effects while under the influence can sometimes include euphoria or anxiety. Although some assert that cannabidiol (CBD), another cannabinoid found in cannabis in varying amounts, may alleviate the adverse effects of THC that some users experience, little is known about CBD's effects on humans. Cannabinoid receptor antagonists have previously been tested as antidotes for cannabis intoxication with success, reducing or eliminating the physiological and psychological effects of intoxication. Some of these products are currently in development as cannabis antidotes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical cannabis</span> Cannabis sativa L. (marijuana; hemp) used medicinally

Medical cannabis, medicinal cannabis or medical marijuana (MMJ) refers to cannabis products and cannabinoid molecules that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has a long history, but has not been as rigorously tested as other medicinal plants due to legal and governmental restrictions, resulting in limited clinical research to define the safety and efficacy of using cannabis to treat diseases.

Anorgasmia is a type of sexual dysfunction in which a person cannot achieve orgasm despite adequate sexual stimulation. Anorgasmia is far more common in females (4.6%) than in males and is especially rare in younger men. The problem is greater in women who are post-menopausal. In males, it is most closely associated with delayed ejaculation. Anorgasmia can often cause sexual frustration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual stimulation</span> Anything that causes a sexual response

Sexual stimulation is anything that leads to sexual arousal or orgasm. This thing can be physical or of other senses, and is known as a stimulus.

A fake orgasm occurs when a person pretends to have an orgasm without actually experiencing one. It usually involves simulating or acting out behaviors typically associated with orgasm, such as body movements, vocal sounds, and sequences of intensification followed by apparent release. It can also include giving verbal indications that orgasm occurred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis (drug)</span> Psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant

Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, weed, and pot, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive component of cannabis, which is one of the 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis can be used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract.

Pillow talk is the relaxed, intimate conversation that can occur between partners after sexual activity, usually accompanied by cuddling, caresses, kissing, and other physical intimacy. It is associated with honesty, sexual afterglow, and bonding, and is distinguished from dirty talk which sometimes forms part of foreplay and of sexual act.

Sex and drugs refers to the influence of substances on sexual function and experience. Sex and drugs date back to ancient humans and have been interlocked throughout human history. Sexual performance is known as the execution of the act of sex and the quality of sexual activity. This includes elements such as libido, sexual function, sensation. Drugs are termed as any chemical substance that produces a physiological and or psychological change in an organism. Drugs categorized as psychoactive drugs, antihypertensive drugs, antihistamines, cancer treatment, and hormone medication have a significant impact on sexual performance. Various drugs result in different effects, both positive and negative. Negative effects may include low libido, erection issues, vaginal dryness and anorgasmia. Positive effects usually address these issues, overall enhancing sexual performance and contributing to a more enjoyable sexual experience. It is crucial to know that the impact of drugs on sexual performance varies among individuals, especially among different genders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of pornography</span> Influence of pornography on an individual and their intimate relationships

Pornography has been defined as any material in varying forms, including texts, video, photos or audio that is consumed for sexual satisfaction and arousal of an individual or partnership. The effects of pornography on individuals or their intimate relationships have been a subject of research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol and sex</span>

Alcohol and sex deals with the effects of the consumption of alcohol on sexual behavior. The effects of alcohol are balanced between its suppressive effects on sexual physiology, which will decrease sexual activity, and its suppression of sexual inhibitions. A large portion of sexual assaults involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, victim, or both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-term effects of cannabis</span>

The long-term effects of cannabis have been the subject of ongoing debate. Given that the use of cannabis is illegal in most countries, clinical research presents a challenge and there is limited evidence from which to draw conclusions. In 2017, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report summarizing much of the published literature on health effects of cannabis, into categories regarded as conclusive, substantial, moderate, limited and of no or insufficient evidence to support an association with a particular outcome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis use disorder</span> Continued use of cannabis despite clinically significant impairment

Cannabis use disorder (CUD), also known as cannabis addiction or marijuana addiction, is a psychiatric disorder defined in the fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and ICD-10 as the continued use of cannabis despite clinically significant impairment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in pregnancy</span> Effects of cannabis consumption during pregnancy

Cannabis consumption in pregnancy is an important public health issue. Research has found possible or likely associations between cannabis use and a risk of adverse outcomes in respect of cognitive development, mental health, physical health, and lactation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Meston</span> Canadian-American clinical psychologist

Cindy Meston is a Canadian-American clinical psychologist well-known for her research on the psychophysiology of female sexual arousal. She is a Full Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, Director of the Female Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory, and author of Why Women Have Sex. In 2016, the BBC, London, England named Meston one of the 100 most influential and inspirational women in the world.

The orgasm gap or pleasure gap is the disparity in sexual satisfaction—specifically the unequal frequency in achieving orgasm during sexual encounters—between heterosexual men and women. Across every demographic that has been studied, women report the lowest frequency of reaching orgasm during sexual encounters with men. Researchers believe that multiple causes contribute to the orgasm gap. Orgasm gap researcher Laurie Mintz argues that the primary reason for this form of gender inequality is due to "our cultural ignorance of the clitoris" and that it is commonplace to "mislabel women's genitals by the one part that gives men, but not women, reliable orgasms."

Angela Denise Bryan is a social psychologist known for her research on HIV/STD prevention, healthy eating habits, and use of legalized cannabis. She is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder where she co-directs the Center for Health and Neuroscience, Genes, and Environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drugs and sexual consent</span>

Drugs and sexual consent is a topic that discusses the impacts of drugs on sexual activity that lead to changes in sexual consent. Sexual consent is the voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity, which is essential in preventing sexual violence. Consent can be communicated verbally or nonverbally and should be freely offered. However, drug use, particularly psychoactive drugs that alter mental processes, can affect people's decision-making and consent communication ability, potentially impacting the autonomous aspect of sexual consent.

References

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  6. ↑ Dawley, Harold H.; Baxter, Addison S.; Winstead, Daniel K.; Gay, James R. (1979). "An attitude survey of the effects of marijuana on sexual enjoyment". Journal of Clinical Psychology. 35 (1): 212–217. doi:10.1002/1097-4679(197901)35:1<212::AID-JCLP2270350135>3.0.CO;2-K. ISSN   1097-4679. PMID   422726.
  7. ↑ Oppenheim, Maya (April 12, 2019). "Cannabis could improve orgasms for women, study finds". The Independent. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Times are Changing | So is Cannabis Use". February 18, 2018.
  9. ↑ Sun, Andrew J.; Eisenberg, Michael L. (2017-11-01). "Association Between Marijuana Use and Sexual Frequency in the United States: A Population-Based Study". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 14 (11): 1342–1347. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.09.005. ISSN   1743-6095. PMID   29110804.
  10. ↑ Abuse, National Institute on Drug. "How does marijuana produce its effects?". National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  11. ↑ Lu, Hui-Chen; Mackie, Ken (2016-04-01). "An Introduction to the Endogenous Cannabinoid System". Biological Psychiatry. 79 (7): 516–525. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.028. ISSN   0006-3223. PMC   4789136 . PMID   26698193.
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  13. ↑ Lynn, Becky K.; López, Julia D.; Miller, Collin; Thompson, Judy; Campian, E. Cristian (June 2019). "The Relationship between Marijuana Use Prior to Sex and Sexual Function in Women". Sexual Medicine. 7 (2): 192–197. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2019.01.003. PMC   6522945 . PMID   30833225.
  14. ↑ Wiebe, Ellen; Just, Alanna (November 2019). "How Cannabis Alters Sexual Experience: A Survey of Men and Women". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 16 (11): 1758–1762. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.07.023. PMID   31447385. S2CID   201752371.
  15. ↑ Agrawal, Arpana; Few, Lauren; Nelson, Elliot C.; Deutsch, Arielle; Grant, Julia D.; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Madden, Pamela A. F.; Heath, Andrew C.; Lynskey, Michael T. (2016). "Adolescent cannabis use and repeated voluntary unprotected sex in women". Addiction. 111 (11): 2012–2020. doi:10.1111/add.13490. ISSN   1360-0443. PMC   5056799 . PMID   27317963.
  16. ↑ Horn, Tina (April 19, 2019). "Sex and the Stoner". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 28, 2019.
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