Everything You Want to Know About Pot and Pleasure
Written for GFH by Luna Matatas
What do we know about weed and sex?
We get a lot of questions when it comes to cannabis and sex. What’s the story with weed and sex? Does it enhance sexy things? How should you use it for sex? What are the risks? Does weed get your genitals high?!
Much of what we know about weed and sex is anecdotal evidence from self-reporting surveys. There isn’t a lot of scientific research on the types of things that would help us understand the science of marijuana and its impact on sex and pleasure in humans—yet. There are some really interesting ways people are reporting increasing their pleasure by using cannabis during solo sex, partnered sex, and using sex toys to alter physical and emotional sensations.
What we do know about pot and pleasure helps us understand how to go about exploring erotically with weed. Your body makes its own natural receptor system for cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids. Research has shown there are a lot of receptors for those compounds in areas of our brain that are responsible for sexual function.
Does cannabis enhance sexual pleasure?
Cannabis is a vasodilator, which means that it opens up blood vessels and promotes blood flow—which are awesome conditions for arousal and increasing the body’s receptivity to sensation. Here are some issues that some people have reported using marijuana to help with:
- Anal sex discomfort
- Impact play like flogging or spanking
- Pain during vaginal penetration
- Enhancing sensations like textures, rope, temperature and even just basic touch or sex toys
- Creating rituals during sex and kink
Research shows that there are impacts of cannabis on our nervous systems, which may influence pain perception and feelings of anxiety and fear. Some people may use cannabis as a way to promote expansion of their imagination in an erotic space to get more sexually creative. Feeling more relaxed and comfortable from weed might decrease any inhibitions and make you feel more creatively inspired, playful and curious during sex.
Lots of factors go into arousal, desire, and pleasure, so it might take some trial and error for you to find out what cannabis and sex looks like for you.
What do I need to consider when getting started?
Getting started with anything new can be intimidating. Weed and sex is no different, here are some common considerations:
CBD vs THC
THC will get you high because it is psychoactive. Different people will have different reactions to THC. CBD typically will not get you head high, but provide more of an overall sense of relaxation both physically and mentally. If you’re unfamiliar with how cannabis feels in your body, start with CBD and dedicate a sex date to focusing on what feels different about doing things you normally like but with some CBD in your system.
Strain choice
Choosing what strain of cannabis is right for the type of sex you’d like to have can sometimes be trial and error. Sativa-based strains tend to promote more energetic vibes, but can increase feelings of anxiety in some people. Indica-based strains tend to be more about body highs, but can make some people too sleepy to do anything sexy. Hybrid-strains are a mix of Sativa and Indica and vary in their impacts. Beyond the strain, you can further refine your choices on the type of strain—check out reviews of the strain online. And keep track of which ones you have tried and their impacts. Different weed plants produce different effects in different people, so keep a log of what you have experienced and under which circumstances you might like to try each particular strain again.
Delivery method
Edibles, vaping, smoking, bongs, topicals, oils, suppositories—so many options! Cannabis delivery methods also have pros and cons to each, so do your research to understand your choices thoroughly.
Each delivery system for cannabis may have varying release times. For example, smoking cannabis will give you almost instant effects, whereas many edibles take 45 mins to five hours to fully blossom in your system. Consider this when you’re planning your cannabis sex date! Cannabis-infused body oils or weed lubes will generally take 20-45 mins to have an impact.
Dosing
Understanding dosing can be difficult if you aren’t a regular cannabis user or if you’re making homemade cannabis-infused products like edibles or lubes. Even some products on the market that are cannabis-infused may not list the amounts of cannabis in the container so it can be hard to gauge potency-per-use. Start slow and wait the recommended time depending on the delivery method before using more. It's common for people to be impatient and take more too soon, only to feel too much after they all take full effect.
Dehydration
Cannabis can have a dehydrating effect for some people giving them a pasty feeling in their mouth, but also drying out other mucosal areas like the vagina. “Cotton vagina” can happen! Stay hydrated with lots of water and use water-based or silicone lubes for penetrative play in the anus or vagina. It will make any friction from fingers, penises or sex toys feel much more pleasurable.
Sexual Performance
Some penis owners may experience erectile dysfunction (ED), sometimes known as ‘weed dick’ from daily cannabis use. Other studies have shown CBD to have a positive effect on maintaining erections. Because ED has many factors that could influence it, the science of cannabis and erections isn’t clear.
If you experience vaginismisus or painful penetrative sex, you may experience a relief of physical pain which allows you to relax more deeply into pleasure.
Consent
Sexual health and safety is important always, but especially if consent might be impaired. If you’re using psychoactive cannabis, there may be challenges in communicating clearly about what feels good and what doesn’t during sex. Consent can be revoked at any time and it should be clear. If you’re unsure if your partner is able to continue sex while high, then everything needs to stop.
Talk about cannabis use with your partner and discuss what consent looks like and how you’ll practice active and engaged consent, and what you’re open to doing the first time you’re trying cannabis and sex together.
How do I get started with cannabis and sex?
Everyone's endocannabinoid system is different—which means that getting started with cannabis might look different for everyone depending on experience with marjiuana, physical and mental health and other physiological variants. Go slow, be patient and reflect on your experiences.
Here are three ways to get started exploring cannabis and pleasure:
Try out a weed lube for masturbation or partnered sex. This one is CBD-based in MCT oil, so if you’re using latex barriers like condoms or gloves then note that these lubes are not compatible with latex.
This one is infused with CBD and has a silky texture for a sensual massage. Give a massage to all the under-service erogenous zones like hands, ears, inner thighs, and backs of knees and work your way to the hotter spots as your partner starts to relax.
If you’re comfortable with cannabis use, plan an intentional date to explore sensations while high. Grab sex toys with texture, temperature ,and vibration possibilities; like massage gloves, feathers, vibrators, and glass dildos.
Enjoy the exploration, expand your ideas of erotic and sink into sensations whether you’re using CBD or THC or edibles or weed lube. Your experience is unique to you!
