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“Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that can be a truly special day for a chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate the person with whom you share your life. History tells us that the 14th-century author Geoffrey Chaucer of The Canterbury Tales also penned the poem Parlement of Foules. In it, he romantically paid tribute to the first anniversary of King Richard II’s engagement to Anne of Bohemia. Historians consider the line “For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate,” as the holiday’s genesis. In eighteenth-century England, February 14th had come into being as the day when couples celebrated by sharing chocolates, cards, flowers, gifts, and most likely, had sex. All of us who celebrate Valentine’s Day owe a debt of gratitude to Geoffrey for getting things rolling, so to speak.
Cannabis and Sex for Adults
Let’s be candid, shall we? For those adults who regularly use cannabis, many know it has the ability to make people a bit randy, in the mood, amorous, aroused, etc., however you care to delicately describe it. There are of course many other slang euphemisms, but you can fill in your own blanks. Adults of a certain age might recall Peter Gabrial’s 1986 Sledgehammer track for a fun British take on them, but we digress. The point is, cannabis has a legendary reputation for enhancing sexual experiences, and recent studies seem to confirm the popular sentiment.
Science, Sex, and Cannabis
2017 was a very good year for sex when it comes to scientific studies. One from Stanford University and two from St. Louis University explored the role cannabis may play within the sexual experience. The Stanford study, conducted by Dept. of Urology researchers Dr. Michael L. Eisenberg and Dr. Andrew J. Sun, concluded that cannabis increases the amount of sex you’re getting. Published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the Stanford researchers found that “a positive association between marijuana use and sexual frequency is seen in men and women across all demographic groups. Marijuana use is independently associated with increased sexual frequency and does not appear to impair sexual function.” Stanford scores!
One of the St Loius studies explored the relationship between cannabis use prior to sex and sexual function in women. Also published in the JSM, researchers Becky Lynn, C. Miller, J. Thompson, and E.C. Campian polled 289 adult women. Sixty-five percent decided it enhanced their sexual experience, twenty-three percent said it did not matter one way or the other, nine percent had no significant feedback and three percent said it sabotaged their sexual experience. The researchers found that overall, women using cannabis use prior to sex “reported a better overall sexual experience and increased sex drive, and a more pleasurable orgasm.”
The third study, also authored by Dr. Becky Lynn and published in December 2017 by the NIH National Library of Medicine, examined the correlation of women’s sexual health and cannabis use. Dr. Lynn’s research found there are a variety of ways that “cannabinoids interact with the hormones and neurotransmitters that affect sexual behavior.” She wrote that when cannabis “affects the sexual experience, it affects it positively…increases desire mildly, and enhances the quality of the orgasm.” Dr. Lynn identifies that much more research is needed, as “the exact mechanism by which THC affects sexual function in women is unknown. In other words, it works, we just don’t know how it works, yet.
Best Cannabis for Sex?
As you might have guessed, we did not find any specific scientific studies for what type of cannabis may be helpful in the bedroom. However, we conducted our own (non-scientific) review of potentially amourous cannabis products and strains. As cannabis affects each person differently, we’re borrowing a disclaimer from TV commercials, Your Results May Vary. In addition to the strain itself and how you consume it, other variables include THC potency, CBD ratios, terpenes, anandamide content, your own tolerance, and intent. In general, Indica strains that provide deep body relaxation and increase sensitivity are worth exploring. On the other hand, Sativa strains may provide an energy boost, so they’re an option as well. For the best of both worlds, consider a Hybrid such as Sour Diesel, Kali Dog or Flo. Go to your dispensary and don’t be shy or embarrassed about asking the budtender for their recommendations. Chances are they have knowledge from personal experience so to speak. If you’re uncomfortable, you could always go to another dispensary where they don’t know you and ask away while you’re masked in obscurity.
It’s also important to keep realistic expectations. As Dr. Lynn’s second study noted, cannabis may increase arousal or interest in a natural way but it is not that same as that little blue pill or other pharmaceutical options. However, it is definitely a sexier, shared, and more enjoyable process. If you already know that certain strains affect you by accenting physical sensitivity and being in touch with your body, that’s a great place to start. There’s nothing wrong with going with what you know.
Valentine’s Day and Cannabis Products
Chocolate and cannabis go together like chocolate and Valentine’s Day, so it’s perfect. Our brand partners at Three Wells offer a wide variety of delicious chocolate offerings that will melt your hearts. Visit our chocolate edibles page for ideas from Dixie Brands, Flav, KIVA Confections, Swift, and The Venice Cookie Co. Vapes and flower are other options, so look into strains such as Blue Cheese, Bubblegum, Grand Daddy Purple, Harlequin, Jillybean, SkyWalker OG, Sour Dream, and Voodoo, to name a few. Again, Your Results May Vary. On the broader market, brands like Dosist vape pens offer passion and arouse. There is also Foria, an original arousal lube designed for women.
Valentine’s Day Cannabis Tips
If cannabis is a part of your Valentine’s Day plans, we suggest a discussion with your partner so it is truly a warm, shared, experience. Do you want to use the same strain or product, or, each to their own? Another tip is to not overdo it and go easy on consumption. After all, you can always increase consumption a little at a time, over time, rather than going all in, ahem, so to speak.
We hope you have a wonderful, heartfelt Valentine’s Day shared with someone you love. If cannabis plays a role, enjoy it together because as Gandhi said, where there is love, there is life. Go live it.
John Ansimoore explores all things cannabis for Three Wells.
