…so I can whisper something naughty in your ear. Have a bite of my edible. Take your time, the cannabis in this goodie might help you have the most amazing sex. It won’t exactly make you horny; cannabis is not an aphrodisiac. But for most people, once intimacy begins, THC increases sexual pleasure. Conversely, for some reason, about 30% say it does exactly the opposite by decreasing pleasure.
But how can that be? How can cannabis help some people have amazing sex – and for others actually kill the experience?
According to Michael Castleman M.A. in an article in Psychology Today, “This range of findings is pharmacologically unique.” Which is a scientist’s way of saying its unusual for a drug to produce opposite the results.
Castelman goes on to say, “The sexual effects of every other mood-altering drug – alcohol, amphetamines, antidepressants, cocaine, narcotics – are well-documented, fairly consistent, and not particularly controversial.
But oddly, marijuana’s sexual effects are highly unpredictable, from strongly sex-inhibiting to strongly sex-enhancing.”
Cannabis can help you have amazing sex or be like a wet blanket.
Those who call it sex-inhibiting typically report that it pulls them deep inside themselves, so far inward that they lose their sense of connection to their partner.
THC’s effect on the mind’s sexual wiring is perhaps the least understood but most interesting aspect of the cannabis buzz.
THC’s effect on the mind’s sexual wiring is perhaps the least understood but most interesting aspect of the cannabis buzz.
Those who call marijuana sex-enhancing usually say that it boosts desire, adds to the enjoyment of sensual touch, helps them feel closer to their partner, and enhances overall sexual pleasure and satisfaction.
Then Michael ended this article by posing a question to his readers: “How does marijuana affect your sex life?” The response was offered a year later in this article submitted to Psychology Today.
That survey revealed a similar split in the experiences of the respondents.
This informal, non-scientific poll, serves to highlight the common response. Nearly seventy percent of the respondents said cannabis improved their sexual experience.
Some replied that it sometimes made it more interesting, but it depended on factors like the strain of cannabis, mood, environment, etc….
Others said cannabis was not at all good for sex – to the extent that it served to kill the interest.
When nearly seventy percent of the respondents say that cannabis definitely made their sexual experiences better, the chances are well in your favor.
How does cannabis super-charge your sexual experience?
Cannabis (most especially, a sativa strain high in THC) will tend to lower your internal social barriers, magnify your mood, your senses, and helps you to relax.
You will feel very connected to, and embrace the friends and loved ones around you.
When our good friend THC arrives, it causes your brain to release dopamine – which brings on the buzz. And Dopamine is also very active in the brain during sex and romance.
THC also affects you physically. Your heart will race, your breathing will be heavier. There will be changes in blood flow (starting to sound familiar?).
And along with it lowering your inhibitions and stimulating desire, the performance boosting effects THC offers can be extraordinary.
THC also stimulates the same pleasure centers as alcohol and mimics the effects of a highly charged and naturally occurring neurotransmitter called anandamide.
The word is rooted in the Sanskrit word “ananda,” which means “joy, bliss, delight”, and “amide,” the name of a family of simple chemical compounds.
And according to William Novak, author of the 1980 tome, High Culture: Marijuana in the Lives of Americans, “Neurochemistry, hormonal systems and brain regions such as the temporal lobe are affected by both marijuana and sexual arousal.”
Why is it so important to know which strains can affect your sexual experience?
If you are going to choose cannabis to make infused foods, and especially if you’re going to share them with friends, you should be clear about what you are serving.
If you are going to enjoy infused foods, and especially if you’re going to share them with friends, you should be clear about what you are serving. There is a large selection of cannabis strains, and some will be far more of a turn-on than others.
There is a large selection of cannabis strains, and some will be far more of a turn-on than others.
So, talk to your budtender. Tell him you want to use your purchase of cannabis to infuse foods and that you will be sharing with friends.
Let your budtender know you prefer to choose a strain that won’t encourage people to pair up and exit the group.
Or, maybe you do.
It’s your party, and as long as your invitation is clear about the nature of the cannabis you will be serving, then your guests will arrive as informed and consenting guests.
Otherwise, if you want to play it safe, ask your budtender for a sativa that will offer a straight-forward, classic, sativa buzz – minus the hanky-panky.
So what about just the two of you?
Guests aside, if you and your partner, want to try something that could prove to be very interesting, you should explore some of these strains that our friends at Leafly.com have picked out – known to be sexually stimulating.
Once you’ve decided on the strain of cannabis and have made your edibles (a batch of cookies or muffins would work well here), you need to figure out how much is best for your intimate moments.
My best advice is to start mild – you and your partner should both evenly share an edible an hour or so before you plan to romp. Afterwards, assess how that affected your sexual experience. Only you will know if you need more or less for the next time.
Just know that beyond a certain point, more is not always better. If you keep increasing your dose, you will likely encounter a nebulous tipping-point where it all starts to go wrong.
That’s a place where the excellent effects THC should be offering will be too much for your sexual wiring and your experience will either go flat or negative.
A good analogy might be: When you get in a bath tub, you want the water pleasantly hot – but not seriously hot. And everyone will have a different idea of where that line is.
Still, there is a chance that even with all the experimenting, that having THC in the mix might only inhibit or even outright kill your sexual experiences.
Everyone is different and that’s to be respected.
The mystery of why cannabis offers one person the most amazing sex and not another, reveals yet another aspect of this truly remarkable plant that we cannot yet explain.
But when the lights are low, the music is soft, you are alone with your partner who has that look on their face, then why kill the moment with silly questions – enjoy.