Study: young people who use cannabis have better orgasms

A recent study conducted in Spain concluded that young people who use cannabis and alcohol have better orgasms and better overall sexual function than their peers who abstain or use less.

The existing scientific literature on the’Impact of Alcohol and Drug Use on sexual functioning is contradictory (it reports both benefits and drawbacks), a team of researchers from the University of Almería designed this new observational study to analyze the impact of alcohol and cannabis use on sexual functioning using three commonly used surveys to identify potential risks associated with alcohol and cannabis use, as well as changes in sexual functioning.

«It has been shown that sexual function among young people who use cannabis and alcohol more frequently is better than among those who use neither.»

From January to June 2020, researchers assessed 185 women and 89 men aged 18 to 30 who were either regular users of cannabis or alcohol, or non-users, excluding those who used other substances such as opioids or MDMA, as well as those with preexisting conditions such as depression and diabetes, which could have a negative impact on their sexual performance.

«Sexual function is improved among young people who are high-risk cannabis users with a moderate risk of alcohol use, leading to increased desire, arousal, and orgasm,» revealed the study, published at the end of last month in the Healthcare Journal. «This improvement is generally associated with a reduction in anxiety and shame, which makes sexual relations easier.»

Cannabis users scored higher than non-users on both the overall sexual functioning scale and the arousal and orgasm subscales. And those who used the most cannabis scored higher than moderate users in terms of sexual functioning and arousal. No differences were found on the desire and orgasm subscales between moderate and heavy users, and no differences were detected between men and women who responded to the survey.

«Our findings indicate that young people who frequently use cannabis, regardless of gender, have better overall sexual function.»

With regard to alcohol consumption, no significant differences were found between participants who drink and those who do not, either in terms of overall sexual function or any of the measured subscales. However, statistically significant differences were found based on the level of alcohol consumption, which could suggest that the results are dose-dependent.

According to the study, participants who reported drinking a lot of alcohol scored higher on the total sexual function questionnaire and on the arousal subscale than those who did not drink at all. And participants with high alcohol consumption scored significantly higher on the total questionnaire and the orgasm subscale than participants with moderate consumption. However, participants who reported an existing alcohol dependence scored significantly lower than their peers whose alcohol consumption was assessed as simply posing a higher risk of dependence.

These findings on cannabis are consistent with previous studies that have shown that the use of Cannabis improves sexual relations and masturbation, increases sexual desire and leads to better orgasms, as well as studies showing that cannabis users have more sex than abstainers and score higher on sexual health inventories and serum testosterone levels.

«The results of this study revealed higher scores for sexual function, as well as for arousal and orgasm, among participants at risk for cannabis-related problems and at risk for alcohol dependence.»

According to the research team behind the new study, which focused on people in their late teens and twenties—«a time when erectile dysfunction is less common»— earlier studies that had found evidence of erectile dysfunction among heavy drinkers may have been influenced by the advanced age of the participants.

Questions remain regarding the different types of sexual relationships (long-term, sporadic, or unstable) that frequent users engage in, as well as whether there is a correlation between drug use and the type of relationship.

The research team also cautioned that this study did not take into account the potential medium- and long-term consequences of increased alcohol and cannabis use, including a possible tendency to engage in less safe sexual practices due to intoxication.

Given that increased desire, arousal, and orgasms among young people who engage in high-risk cannabis use and have a moderate risk of alcohol use are generally associated with reduced anxiety and shame—which facilitates sexual activity— the study recommends that future sex education practices focus on strategies that reduce shame and anxiety, in order to prevent young people to develop potential drug addiction problems and alcohol later in life.