Study: Women Who Use Cannabis Have More Sex

Is the stereotype of the couch-locked stoner turning you off from cannabis?

If you’ve held back from trying cannabis because you’re afraid it will be detrimental to your sex life, we’ve got good news for you: a recent study found that women (and men) who use cannabis report having sex significantly more frequently than women who don’t.

“Usually, people assume the more frequently you smoke, the worse it could be when it came to sex,” co-author Dr. Michael Eisenberg told The Alternative Daily when the study was released, “but in fact, we learned the opposite was true.”

Along with Dr. Andrew Sun, Eisenberg analyzed survey responses from more than 28,000 women of reproductive age, along with close to 23,000 men. The data, collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2002 and 2015, indicate that women who consume cannabis daily, weekly or monthly are, on average, having sex about 18 percent more frequently than women who don’t use cannabis at all.

Sun and Eisenberg’s study stopped short of digging into possible explanations for the correlation between cannabis use and an active sex life. While the researchers called their findings “reassuring,” they added that the relationship between cannabis and sex warrants further study.

Without doing a study of our own, we can’t say for certain why the correlation exists between cannabis and more sex. But knowing what we already know about the benefits of cannabis, we can make some educated guesses about some of the potential benefits cannabis can have on your sex life.

Decreased anxiety

Chronic anxiety — and the medications used to treat it — can lower your libido, decrease your body confidence, prevent you from feeling comfortable enough to be intimate with a partner, and even impact your ability to orgasm. Cannabinoids can be effective in managing and mitigating anxiety.

Improved body positivity

As sex educator Ashley Manta explains, cannabis can be extremely useful in allaying self-consciousness and boosting body confidence — removing two challenges women often face when thinking about getting intimate.

“I find that cannabis has a profoundly positive impact on the way that I feel about my body,” Manta told Ellementa. (Read our full Q&A with Ashley here.)

Women who consume cannabis daily, weekly or monthly are, on average, have sex about 18 percent more frequently than women who don’t use cannabis at all.

Reduced stress

Who wants to get frisky when you’re on edge? Stress can impact your libido and ability to orgasm — and even if it doesn’t, it’s a distraction that keeps you from having a good time.

Now there’s research to back up something we all knew already: Cannabis is a stress reliever. A recent study out of Washington State University — one of the first of its kind — has found that smoking cannabis can have a profound, if short-lived, mitigating effect on stress. The study, which looked at how different strains can affect symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety, found that strains high in both CBD and THC were the most powerful stress reducers.

It’s Personal

Along with everything that’s known about the science of cannabis, the most important thing to consider is your own body and how it responds to cannabinoids. Some women say it heightens their senses or physical sensations, which can certainly be an asset in the bedroom (especially when paired with a cannabis-infused lube!). It may also lower your inhibitions and make you more relaxed and open to trying new things.

Remember that how your body and brain responds to cannabis is individual to you. If you’re new to cannabis – or if you’re trying a new product – start low, go slow, and keep track of the reactions you’re having. Keep a journal so you know which products, what strains, and what dosages work best for you.

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Check out our list of cannabis and CBD infused products for improved sex and sexual health.