Disclaimer: This article addresses adults, who are legal cannabis users and are explicitly consenting to any sexual activities involved. Please follow the law when consuming cannabis.
In the spirit of Sexual Health Awareness Month, it’s time to discuss the relationship between cannabis and sexual health. For patients who turn to cannabis for its medicinal properties and healing benefits, bringing cannabis into the bedroom can be the start of an amazing journey to sexual wellness. But like any good relationship, you need to approach it the right way — and listen to expert advice!
To learn more about the benefits of cannabis for sexual health, our resident “Canna-Mom” Barbara Van Hoosen spoke with two licensed healthcare professionals, who also happen to be cannabis advocates. These cannabis experts are: RN-BSN Sherri Tutkus (Chief Nursing Officer and VP of Nursing at Holistic Caring, Co-Founder at The Green Nurse) and Dr. Jordan Tishler (President of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, Founder of inhaleMD).
Let’s check out the highlights of their conversation!
First Step to Cannabis in the Bedroom: Go Solo
Nurse Sherri and Dr. Tishler are both advocates for combining cannabis with sexual activity. But they also acknowledge that starting this journey isn’t always easy. “Cannabis can help people address issues around sexual difficulties, but it can also be daunting,” says Dr. Tishler. “When we start thinking about coupled sex, we have a whole other layer of meaning to deal with.”
Both of the healthcare professionals agree that the best way to start is to use cannabis on your own, before doing so with your partner. “Patients should make a date with themselves,” Nurse Sherri advises. “Take the time to learn about the plant, your body, and then use it in a safe and effective way before you bring it into the bedroom with another partner.”
This essentially means “working solo,” as Dr. Tishler puts it — feeling how cannabis affects your own libido, arousal, orgasm frequency and intensity, and other sexual explorations. “We want to practice using cannabis before bringing a lover into the picture,” Dr. Tishler explains.
How Cannabis Interacts with Sexual Systems
In honor of National Sexual Health Month, a mindful combination of sex and cannabis can be a great way to promote sexual health. Both Dr. Tishler and Nurse Sherri make reference to Ashley Monta, an educator and coach who advocates for the mindful combination of sex and cannabis. After the “working solo” phase of sexual exploration, Ashley discusses how cannabis can affect our two competing sexual systems: the Sexual Excitement system (step on the gas, let’s go!) and the Sexual Inhibition system (stop the brakes, not happening).
When one’s Sexual Excitement system is revved up, an awareness of “sexual and redolent stimuli” increases, Nurse Sherri explains. Because cannabis can heighten sensation and increase the user’s “field of awareness,” bringing cannabis into the bedroom responsibly can even further Rev up your Sexual Excitement system.
Mindful cannabis usage can also help people to reach a comfortable level of Sexual Inhibition. “Utilizing cannabis can help you relax, and pull back emotional or mental trauma,” says Barb. She adds that along with the “mood elevation and euphoria” that some patients feel when using cannabis, there’s “some interference with your pain receptors and endocannabinoid system, too.”
Male vs. Female Sexual Systems and Cannabis
Sexual Health Month is all about breaking down stigmas and unlearning misconceptions about sexuality. According to our experts, one of the most common misconceptions is that some sexual health issues are limited to men, while others only affect women.
A decent amount of women seek sexual help when purchasing medical cannabis, but the percentage of men seeking this kind of assistance “is basically zip,” says Dr. Tishler. “Many people think erectile dysfunction is the only issue men face, and that’s very much not the case,” he continues. “Issues around libido are huge for men as well — they’re just usually not as willing to talk about it.”
“Cannabis has been shown now to be very effective and stimulating libido in both men and women,” Dr. Tishler tells us, “but it’s very much dependent on how you do it and how much you take.” Nurse Sherri completely agrees, calling cannabis a “multifactorial” medicine.
Ensuring proper dosage is another reason why it’s important to go solo before coming together. Finding the right dosage might be more predictable for men, but women may need to regularly adjust their dosage due to natural fluctuations of estrogen. Estrogen is “a huge magnifying glass for cannabis,” Nurse Sherri explains. “Women tend to be more sensitive to cannabis when estrogen levels are high — meaning cannabis might be less effective before our menstrual cycle, and we might need more during this time.”
In other words, it’s normal for two people to need different amounts of cannabis in order to achieve the same desired effects!
Cannabis Dosage in the Bedroom
When it comes to dosing out cannabis, it’s always important to start low and slow. “I always suggest systemic administration, starting with a relatively low THC or medium THC cannabis product,” Dr. Tishler advises. This gives you time to evaluate how you’re feeling, and “find gradations between doses” to find your perfect fit.
Dosage also depends on the kind of cannabis product being used. When ingesting cannabis flower, there are non-THC components in the plant that can further interact with your body. “I always point people to flower that’s in that 15 to 20% THC range,” says Dr. Tishler. By doing so, patients can leave room for the entire plant’s chemical profile to take effect.
In the spirit of Sexual Health Awareness Month, it’s worth noting that cannabis products can be used as lubricants, oils, and topicals. Just like any other cannabis product, users should begin using these products with a low dosage.
Starting slow and low with sexual health products can help you to avoid any discomfort or intense tingling. “When THC specifically is applied ‘down there’ over a fairly lengthy period of time — around 40 minutes — the skin can absorb enough for some to develop heightened sensitivity,” Dr. Tishler explains. “Some people find this helpful, while others might find it overly sensitive and uncomfortable.”
“What we want is a safe, high-quality, medium potency cannabis product that can be administered reliably,” Dr. Tishler asserts.
The Three “Ions” of Sex and Cannabis: Location, Intention, Conversation
For people who wish to combine cannabis with sex, sexual health awareness involves an understanding of not just the dosage of cannabis, but also the setting. “It’s really, really important to use cannabis intentionally in the bedroom,” says Nurse Sherri. This includes using cannabis in the right place, and at the right time.
“Do this in a safe space at a time where there are no competing stimuli, where there are no kids banging on the door, and all of those sorts of things,” Dr. Tishler says. “You want to set up an environment where you’re most likely to succeed — one that gives you the opportunity to see what feelings arise, both ‘down there’ as well as emotionally.”
It’s also important for couples to “have conversations around cannabis and sex outside the bedroom before co-consuming,” Nurse Sherri adds. Not only does this help address sexual inhibition up front, but also helps with the “polarity and ‘push/pull’ that really excites the Sexual Excitement system,” she continues. “ How fun and sexy is it to talk about sex before you even get there?”
“I love this idea of really trying to identify and control for multiple variables before just making a global guess,” Barb shares. “When you realize cannabis is the key factor in a situation, you can understand how it enables you to experience something differently.”
Benefits of Sex Beyond Cannabis
Using cannabis to support your sexual health can bring a fun and exciting dimension to your relationship. But, as we head into Sexual Health Awareness Month 2022, it’s important to remember that sex can boost your entire body’s health.
It’s true! Good sex is healthy. “Cannabinoid therapeutics offer optimal endocannabinoid system signaling for homeostasis amongst all of these systems,” Nurse Sherri explains. To put it more simply, you feel better when you take good care of your body and endocannabinoid system.
Sex has the potential to:
- Relieve headaches
- Clear a stuffy nose
- Spur estrogen production, making hair softer and shiny
- Safely burn calories
- Clean your pores from sweat, making your skin glow
- Release endorphins, even helping with depression
- Act as a natural muscle relaxer and tranquilizer
- Release more pheromones, making your partner fall in love even more
“Total health care,” Nurse Sherri explains, combines “biological health, psychological health, social health, and spiritual health.” Plus, cannabis is continuing to make sex even better. “The plant is constantly evolving, constantly changing, and information is even becoming more available and more amazing.”
Discover more ways in which cannabis can benefit your sexual health and relationships:
Explore Cannabis with Rev
Sexual health begins with sexual health awareness. At Rev Clinics, we’re proud to endorse medical cannabis products that can help to improve sexual function, unlock better sexual experiences, and strengthen overall health. For instance, our brand of intimacy-inducing edibles, For Play, was designed by a formulation scientist and crafted with a blend of sensual herbs that help to elevate performance and pleasure in the bedroom. With this unique combination of aphrodisiac herbs and cannabinoids, For Play enjoyers (of all genders and preferences) can enhance their stamina, sensitivity, and arousal while decreasing anxiety in the bedroom.
Rev is a Massachusetts dispensary with a mission. At Rev, we’re dedicated to helping patients unlock the healing potential of cannabis in a safe and regulated space. Along with reading our other educational blogs, be sure to check out Rev’s medical dispensary menu and place an order online!
