5 Ways Weed Affects Your Sex Life

Weed is correlated with more frequent sex

Contrary to what you may think, using cannabis regularly is actually associated with having more sex. A recent Stanford study found that despite many doctors’ concerns that marijuana can dull your libido, people who used cannabis were having sex more frequently. The study, which examined a survey of 50,000 Americans between the ages of 25 and 45, found a strong correlation between marijuana use and an uptick in the amount of sex they were having.

It’s important to note, of course, that the study only found correlation, not causation—that is to say, weed doesn’t necessarily cause more frequent sex. But while causation is still difficult to prove, the results hinted very strongly at marijuana being a key player. “After accounting for lifestyle factors such as gender, marital status, religion, having children, using alcohol and other drugs, and more, the study showed correlation was still present. So we know that these other major lifestyle factors aren’t driving the correlation,” explains Jeff Chen, M.D., M.B.A., the director of the Cannabis Research Initiative at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. “There could still be other lifestyle factors driving the observed correlation, but it’s hard to say exactly what those could be. It could be simply that people who gravitate toward cannabis also tend to gravitate toward sexual intercourse.”

Weed may increase sexual desire

Why are people who smoke pot having more sex? Because there’s evidence that marijuana raises your sexual appetite. There is some scientific evidence that marijuana is directly affecting areas of the body that may account for the rise in sexual arousal.

For one thing, endocannabinoids exist naturally in the body. The THC and CBD present in weed mimic these endocannabinoids and can trigger, or suppress, certain natural bodily reactions. 

“There have been animal studies showing that stimulation of the CB1 receptor (which THC stimulates) increases sexual response, says Chen. “From human studies, we know that endocannabinoids are involved in the sexual response.” But while these studies have shown that weed can stimulate the libido, other studies have found it does the opposite, specifically for men. As such, even if studies do exist, it’s hard to make a concrete recommendation either way. “There’s some contradictory evidence as to whether they increase or decrease the sexual response,” Chen points out.

Weed may improve orgasms

Ask many marijuana users and they’ll laud the effect of a bong rip on their orgasm intensity. Now, the scientific record is starting to catch up, and is pointing to a correlation between cannabis and the length and intensity of orgasms. While no studies so far have specifically linked marijuana to increased orgams, research has found that the body’s natural endocannabinoid levels increase after masturbating to orgasm. “There has been a human study demonstrating increases in endocannabinoid levels after masturbating, so it’s possible cannabis can modulate orgasms by acting upon the endocannabinoid system,” explains Chen. Furthering marijuana’s potential for more intense orgasms, a study found a strong correlation between altered states of mind and lowered inhibitions and stronger orgasms. 

As for the emergence of weed lubricants like Foria, Chen says there’s a possibility that they can contribute to orgasm intensity. “A recent Mount Sinai study reviewed the application of cannabinoids on the skin. The CB1 and CB2 receptors, which compounds like THC act upon, have been found in sensory nerve fibers, so it’s theoretically possible that these lubricants are modulating sexual experiences.”

And in one unique instance, a woman who combined heavy marijuana use with “pounding” sex reported having intense, spontaneous orgasms lasting hours for weeks afterward. Far out.

Marijuana may decrease sexual function

With the good comes the bad, and while marijuana may increase your desire to have sex, it could have some adverse effects on your, er, plumbing. A review of several studies dealing with cannabis and sexuality found a fairly strong link between marijuana and increased sexual desire for women, but also found that marijuana could have detrimental effects to a man’s erectile function. The review also found that THC consumption had a small link to a decline in testosterone (although the decline apparently didn’t affect sexual desire) and suppression of gonadotropin, a hormone that acts on the testes. 

“It is thought that the impacts of cannabis on sex vary between gender, and may increase sexual desire but hinder sexual function,” says Chen. However, he highlights some difficulties with studying cannabis’s effect on sexual function: “A host of other psychological, biological, and social variables are constantly in play with sexual behavior. Studies on the matter are prone to bias due to some discomfort around talking about sex and the subjective experience sex entails.”

Marijuana could lower sperm count

Unfortunately, there is truth to the age-old story that marijuana kills sperm. Several studies have found a link between marijuana usage and lowered sperm count and sperm survival. 

“The CB1 receptor has been found in the sperm head and within the mitochondria of the sperm, which is a potential means by which cannabinoids can interact with sperm,” Chen explains. “Observational studies have found a correlation between cannabis use and reduced sperm production or survival, and animal and human studies have found that administration of THC or cannabis extract was toxic to the cells that matured into sperm. It seems that THC’s toxicity to these cells may be due to disruption of cell signaling across the membrane.”

So while cannabis won’t adversely affect your libido, if you’re trying to have a baby, then you should definitely avoid marijuana, particularly marijuana containing high levels of THC.