Evidence Mounts: Cannabis Helps Women Work Up to Orgasm

In a previous post, I summarized the research literature showing that most people who use cannabis—aka marijuana, pot, grass, weed—report better, more satisfying lovemaking. Cannabis does not enhance sex for everyone (see below), but most studies show that it benefits around two-thirds of users. Recently, a research team from Harvard and other universities discovered that cannabis helps women work up to orgasm.

The Study

The research team used internet sites dealing with cannabis, women’s sexuality, and women’s sexual dysfunctions to recruit 410 women, age 18 or older, who completed a survey about the impact of cannabis on their partnered lovemaking. Participants’ demographics reflected a reasonable cross-section of U.S. adult women. But this self-selected group also faced mental health challenges: Almost half (44 percent) reported anxiety, with more than one-third complaining of depression (38 percent).

Most consumed cannabis by smoking it (47 percent), or vaping (17 percent), or by using edibles (25 percent). The main reason they used the drug was relaxation (60 percent).

Half the participants (52 percent) reported difficulty having orgasms during partner sex. Among that group, almost three-quarters (73 percent) reported that using cannabis before sex helped them work up to orgasms (p < 0.001), and two-thirds (67 percent) said it improved their sexual satisfaction (p < 0.001). So, cannabis improved sex for a large majority of these women.

Mental Health, Cannabis, and Orgasm

A robust literature links women’s orgasm difficulties with mental health issues, particularly anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The stress that causes women’s PTSD is often a history of sexual abuse.

In this study, compared with women who had no history of sexual abuse, those who did were much more likely to suffer orgasm difficulties. The main intoxicant in cannabis, THC, reduces activity in two areas of the brain, the hippocampus and amygdala, both of which store traumatic memories and react to triggers that make women recall them. The researchers suggest that by quieting the hippocampus and amygdala, cannabis helps women with PTSD transcend traumatic memories, which allows them to work up to orgasms.

The amygdala also governs hypervigilance and anxiety. Women with PTSD tend to spend their lives braced for the next blow, the next trauma, which causes chronic anxiety. Cannabis is relaxing. It diminishes hypervigilance and anxiety, which allow users to unwind and loosen up sufficiently to enjoy lovemaking and have orgasms.

Other Studies Agree

Among them:

• Stanford researchers arranged with a cannabis dispensary to include a QR code with purchases. The 452 adult women who used the code arrived at a survey of their cannabis use and sexual function. Their demographics were reasonably representative of the U.S. population. Compared with the women who consumed cannabis only once or twice weekly, those who used it three or more times a week reported significantly greater erotic desire (p = 0.03), easier arousal (p = 0.003), more pleasurable orgasms (p = 0.01), and greater sexual satisfaction (p = 0.03).
• University of British Columbia researchers surveyed 216 cannabis users, both women and men, who said they frequently used it during lovemaking. Three-quarters said it increased their sensitivity to erotic touch and improved their sexual satisfaction. Two-thirds said it boosted the pleasure of orgasms. Fifty-nine percent said it increased their sexual desire. Only 5 percent said it spoiled sex.
• St. Louis University investigators asked 373 women who visited gynecologists for routine care if they used cannabis prior to sex. The one-third who said they did were asked to complete an anonymous survey. Compared with those who used cannabis infrequently, those who used the drug routinely before sex were twice as likely to report sexual satisfaction.
• Kansas City researchers interviewed 97 adult users. Two-thirds said cannabis increased emotional closeness and sexual pleasure and satisfaction. One-third said it had no effect on their lovemaking or reduced pleasure.
• Another Stanford team tracked a huge number of adult cannabis users—51,119 (28,176 women, 22,943 men)—for 14 years. Some reported enhancement, others impairment, but overall, the drug was libido-boosting—associated with one extra roll in the hay per month.

Not for Every Lover

While cannabis enhances lovemaking for around two-thirds of users, one-third say that it ruins sex. The reason? It makes them withdraw into themselves, and lose their erotic connection to their partners. If that happens to you, don’t mix sex and cannabis.

Is It Legal?

At this writing, cannabis is still illegal under federal law. However, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it for recreational use, and 20 more have legalized cannabis for medical reasons. It remains totally illegal in just six states: Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wyoming. For the law in your state, check the internet. If you live in a state with legal medical cannabis, a doctor’s letter citing the drug’s relief of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and/or sexual dysfunction may be sufficient for a prescription.