Cannabis can increase libido and facilitate orgasms, experts say

A few weeks ago, the column AskWell from The New York Times highlighted treatments to increase libido in women. Afterwards, several readers wanted to know if cannabis, or marijuana, could be added to the list of potential remedies.

It’s an especially relevant issue now that the United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.

The drug, which is the most commonly used and illegal at the federal level, is currently permitted for medical use in 37 US states and for adult recreational use in 18 states. According to a 2020 poll, nearly 18% of Americans age 12 and older had used it in the previous year, and more than two-thirds of Americans supported its legalization, according to various polls.

To learn more about cannabis and sex, we turned to a number of experts, including a gynecologist who researched women’s marijuana use.

Bottom line: It’s hard to say for sure whether the plant will increase desire or improve your sex life, but sparse evidence suggests that the right dose can make a woman’s orgasms more satisfying and increase her sex drive. This is in part because the substance can heighten the senses and also alleviate some of the symptoms that inhibit craving, such as anxiety, insomnia, or pain.

It can also have positive effects for men as well as many negative ones, and women should also be aware of its possible downsides.

What does the survey say?

Both men and women have long reported that cannabis alters their sexual experience. In an essay published in 1971, astronomer Carl Sagan, a longtime marijuana user, wrote that it “increases the pleasure of sex” and “gives an exquisite sensitivity.”

However, there is very little research on cannabis and libido, in part because marijuana studies have been notoriously difficult to fund and the drug remains federally illegal in the US. Most existing research relies on data from questionnaires, which are heavily targeted at people who already use the substance and are not representative of the general population, making it difficult to draw consistent conclusions. In addition, studies do not provide reliable and accurate information about dosage, method of administration, or the right time to use.

Based on the limited evidence, however, the drug appears to improve the sexual experience among many women who already use it.

“I’ve had several patients who have said to me, ‘I have a low libido. Can you help me? By the way, when I use marijuana I can orgasm without problems,'” said Becky K. Lynn, an expert in sexual medicine and menopause, and founder of Evora Women’s Health in St. Louis (Missouri). “They also tell me that libido increases with marijuana.”

Dr. Lynn, who also teaches at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, is the lead author of a study published in 2019 that surveyed 373 women about cannabis at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Missouri. Of these, 34% reported using it before sexual activity and the majority said it resulted in increased sexual desire, improved orgasm and decreased pain.

Studies have also found that some women use it to help manage menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and vaginal changes like dryness, which can contribute to decreased libido when left untreated.

Furthermore, in an online survey of more than 200 women and men who use marijuana, nearly 60% said it increased their desire for sex; about 74% reported increased sexual satisfaction. But the study, conducted by researchers in Canada and published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, also said that 16% said sex was better in some ways and worse in others, and just under 5% said it was worse.

Research on marijuana use and sexual function among men is also sparse and can be contradictory. According to the International Society for Sexual Medicine, some men report that their sexual performance improves when they use cannabis, while others may experience problems such as less motivation for sex, erectile dysfunction, difficulty achieving orgasm, or premature ejaculation. Use has also been associated with reductions in sperm count, viability, and lower concentration and motility.

Don’t forget the risks

All drugs have potential risks and side effects, including marijuana.

If your doctor has cleared you to try it in a place where it’s legal, Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Chelsea HealthCare Center and a medical cannabis consultant, advised taking a “little bit” in a tincture (concentrated extract of the plant) if you’re new to it — in some cases, just 1 milligram. of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the herb’s main psychoactive ingredient, before slowly building up.

“In low doses, cannabis helps libido, but in high doses it’s often not as effective,” he said, adding that the wrong amount can cause some people to become paranoid and anxious. The drug can also inhibit orgasm, creating the opposite effect to that intended. Dr. Lynn agreed. “Start low and go slow,” she said.

But how much is too much? This varies from person to person.

As the plant is known to impair judgment, coordination and reaction time, those who use psychoactive drugs before or during sex “should consider whether people using the product and their partners can have safe, consensual sex.” “, said Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau, a gynecologist at the Medical University of Chicago and creator of the WomanLab website on female sexual health.

Use can also compromise personal judgment about contraception or the ability to consent, she added. Therefore, women can avoid products with psychoactive components or, if they want to use them, increase safety by having sex with a trusted partner.

“Sex with a stranger should ideally not involve intoxication by either party,” she said.

The Doctor. Jordan Tishler, a former emergency room doctor and president of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, recommended trying marijuana alone for the first few times and masturbating, to “understand what it does to the body and sensations.”

What is the best method to use cannabis?

Smoking or using oil vaporizers should be avoided as they can harm the lungs, experts said.

Dr. Lynn typically recommends tinctures, which consist of concentrated plant extracts taken by mouth. It’s easy to measure the number of milligrams you want to use, she said.

Dr. Tishler often advises her clients to start with 5mg of THC. Taking a drag from a cannabis flower vaporizer before having a sexual experience can work faster and more predictably than edibles or lubricants that contain THC, he said.

“I teach patients to take a puff in a particular way,” Tishler added: “A very deep, slow inhalation, which allows you to assess the dose they are getting.”

Remember that libido is complex

There are a number of factors that can affect a person’s sex drive and sexual function, some of which can be addressed in a doctor’s appointment or with a mental health professional.

If a woman experiences pain during intercourse, for example, she needs to be referred to a gynecologist for a full evaluation, Grinspoon said. Marijuana can help, but there is more to investigate and other factors to consider in anyone experiencing uncomfortable physical symptoms.

“You can treat the symptom while looking at the underlying cause,” he said. “It’s not mutually exclusive.”

Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves