The Ask Well column highlighted treatments for low libido in women. Several readers wanted to know if cannabis could be added to the list of remedies.
It's a question that is relevant now that the U.S. House of Representatives is about to pass a bill to legalise marijuana. The legislation will face challenges in the Senate, but support for the full-scale legalization of cannabis is growing.
Marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 37 states and for adult recreational use in 18 states. According to a 2020 survey, nearly 18 percent of Americans age 12 or older had used it within the past year, and more than two-thirds of Americans support legalization.
A gynecologist who has surveyed women about their marijuana use was one of the experts we turned to to learn more about cannabis and sex.
It's hard to say with certainty that cannabis will increase desire or improve 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 due to the fact that cannabis can help alleviate some of the symptoms of desire, like anxiety, insomnia and pain. It can have positive effects for both men and women, but also negative ones, and women should be aware of that.
Both men and women have reported that cannabis alters their sexual experience. In an essay published in 1971, astronomer Carl Sagan wrote that cannabis enhances the enjoyment of sex and gives an exquisite sensitivity.
Cannabis research has been difficult to fund and it remains a federally illegal drug in the United States. Most of the research that does exist relies on data from questionnaires, which are skewed towards people who already use cannabis and are not representative of the general population, making it difficult to draw conclusions. The surveys don't give precise information about delivery method or timing.
The drug seems to enhance the sexual experience for many women who already use it.
Several patients have come to me and said they have low libido. Can you help me? "If I use marijuana, I can orgasm, no problem," said Dr. Lynn, a sexual medicine and menopause expert.
The lead author of the study that surveyed 373 women about cannabis was Dr. Lynn, who teaches at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Most of them said that using marijuana before sexual activity resulted in an increased sex drive, improved orgasm and decreased pain.
Some women use cannabis to treat menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and vaginal changes, which may contribute to lower libido when treated.
A survey of more than 200 men and women who use cannabis found that nearly 60 percent of them said it increased their desire for sex. The study, which was conducted by researchers in Canada and was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, said that 16 percent of people said sex was better in some ways and worse in others.
There is little research on cannabis use among men. According to the International Society for Sexual Medicine, some men report that their sexual performance improves when they use marijuana, while others may experience problems such as less motivation for sex, or premature ejaculation. Cannabis use has been associated with reduced sperm count.
There are risks and possible side effects of all drugs.
If you have been cleared by your doctor to try cannabis in a state that's legal, you should take a small amount.
He said that the wrong amount of cannabis can cause people to become paranoid and anxious. The opposite effect of what was intended was created by the drug.
She said to start low and go slow.
Is there too much marijuana? It will be different from person to person.
People who use drugs before or during sex must consider whether they can have safe and consensual sex.
She said that women can either use cannabis to increase their safety by having sex with a trusted partner, or they can avoid products with psychoactive components.
Sex with a stranger would not involve intoxication of anyone involved.
Dr. Jordan Tishler, a former emergency medicine doctor and president of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, recommended masturbating in order to understand what cannabis does to the body.
The experts said that smoking marijuana or using oil vape pens can harm the lungs.
Dr. Lynn usually recommends taking cannabis extracts by mouth. She said it's easy to measure the number of milligrams you want to use.
Dr. Tishler usually advises his clients to start with a small amount of the drug. He said that taking one puff on a cannabis flower vaporizer before having a sexual experience can work faster and more predictably than other drugs.
Patients are taught to take a puffs in a specific way.
There are a number of factors that can affect a person's sex drive and sexual function, some of which could be addressed by seeing a physician or a mental health provider.
If a woman had pain with intercourse, she would need to be referred to a gynecologist for a full evaluation. There would be more to consider in regards to anyone who is experiencing physical symptoms.
He said that it was not mutually exclusive to treat the symptom while looking at the underlying cause.
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