The humanitarian, medical and economic arguments for legalising recreational cannabis are well known, but now it seems campaigners have another weapon in their armoury — it may improve your sex life.
In an observational study of 274 participants aged 18–30 years in Spain, frequent cannabis users reported better overall sexual function than their peers.
Sexual function and problems associated with cannabis and alcohol were measured using the Spanish versions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) and the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire Short-Form.
Participants who were at high risk of having cannabis-related problems performed better on the CAST, with higher arousal and orgasm scores than those who were not at risk. There were similar outcomes for those at high risk of having alcohol problems.
Of the 274 participants, 67.5% identified as female, 32.5% identified as male. There were no significant statistical differences found between the sexes.
The University of Almeria researchers said: “Sexual function in young people who use cannabis and alcohol more frequently was shown to be better than in those who do not use either, highlighting the need for more information aimed at the young population.”
“Our findings indicate that young people who use cannabis frequently, regardless of gender, have better overall sexual function.”
“Sexual function is improved in young people who are high-risk cannabis consumers with a moderate risk of alcohol use, resulting in increased desire, arousal, and orgasm.
“This improvement is usually associated with a reduction in anxiety and shame, which facilitates sexual relationships.”
However, they warned that an increase in sexual function can be accompanied by unsafe behaviours “given that the use of drugs, notably alcohol and cannabis, in recreational nightlife settings is highly normalised and ingested in large quantities”.
