Back in 1969, Carl Sagan, a well-known and highly respected astronomer had this to say about sex on cannabis: 

Cannabis also enhances the enjoyment of sex – on the one hand, it gives an exquisite sensitivity, but on the other hand, it postpones orgasm: in part by distracting me with the profusion of images passing before my eyes. The actual duration of orgasm seems to lengthen greatly, but this may be the usual experience of time expansion which comes with cannabis smoking.

While Sagan had consumed cannabis starting in his early twenties (he was in his mid-thirties when he wrote this passage), other newcomers to the substance might be interested in cannabis as a way to spice up their sex lives. 

Since cannabis is still federally prohibited, broader studies on this topic are scarce. To truly know if sex on cannabis is right for you and your partner, read on to see whether this salacious combo is right for you. 

What does the science say?

To help you understand how cannabis affects libido and sexual performance, we collected data from two separate studies: 

The Relationship between Marijuana Use Prior to Sex and Sexual Function in Women

and How Cannabis Alters Sexual Experience: A Survey of Men and Women. 

In the first study, 34% of survey respondents claimed to consume cannabis before sex regularly. Most of those same respondents (95%) described an increase in sexual performance and reported satisfactory orgasms at a higher rate. This can be due to how cannabinoids naturally interact with hormones and areas of the brain that affect sexual function. According to Sagan’s account, he felt like his body was more sensitive to touch.

In the second study, 216 survey respondents that had previous experience with sex and cannabis filled out a questionnaire. Out of the 216, 112 said they used cannabis to alter their sexual experience; 82 claimed that sex was better. 

Additionally, out of 202 participants, 59% said cannabis increased their desire for sex, 73.8% reported an increase in sexual satisfaction, 74.3% reported a sensitivity to touch and 65.7% claimed orgasms were more intense on cannabis. 

The best way to know is to experiment for yourself

While these surveys do not yet show the full potential of sex and cannabis due to a lack of federal funding, they help us understand that cannabis is a commonly sought substance for people who want to improve their sex life. To truly understand if cannabis can help improve your sex life, it might take a bit of experimenting.

Think about it this way: most people who use cannabis like to pair certain strains with certain activities. For instance, if you want to get high while staying active on a hike, you might opt for sativa-leaning strains. For movies, body-melting indicas are the right choice. Edibles can give you the social motivation you need for a night out and vape pens can provide the discretion you need when catching a sunset at the beach. 

All this to say, cannabis best functions when you find the right activity to enjoy it with, and sex is no different according to these studies. Finding what’s right for you and your partner to enjoy a new sexual experience can be just one delivery away.