When it comes to sex, cannabis-based products can ease anxiety, pain, and maybe even increase your overall pleasure.
Life’s too short for bad sex. But sometimes pain (the non-pleasurable kind), stress or a million other mental or physical reasons can kill your libido and get in the way of a truly satisfying sex life.
Here’s how cannabis can help. Cannabis — both THC, CBD and an emerging number of cannabinoids — can ease anxiety, reduce pain, boost orgasms, and generally relax both body and mind.
Cannabis and sex: what the science says
Given cannabis’ own intimate relationship with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS), it makes sense that it has an impact on the physical sensations and emotional connections that can turn “meh” sex into an earth-shattering experience. But how?
Physical: Our sexual organs contain cannabinoid receptors, and CBD specifically is a vasodilator, meaning it increases blood flow and enhances nerve sensation, amplifying sexual sensitivity and supporting erections. As a known pain reliever, cannabis can be a sexual game changer for people suffering with a range of painful conditions, from endometriosis and vaginismus to Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons.
Mental and emotional: Cannabis (particularly CBD) has been shown to decrease anxiety and stress, which can, in turn, foster a more relaxed sexual encounter. This can be helpful for women, or anyone who might feel more pressure to orgasm during sex. One recent study exploring cannabis’ impact on orgasms even found it could help close the “orgasm gap” between men and women. Research shows that more than 90% of men report reaching orgasm ‘usually or always’ during sex, compared to less than 20% of women.
Cannabis has been shown to help people dealing with PTSD and depression, and can encourage prosocial behaviour like empathy. This can help build those emotional bridges that tend to make sex even more enjoyable.
In the UK, cannabis-based intimacy products are limited to CBD only. If you’re curious about introducing CBD into your bedroom, we’ve highlighted five ways CBD-based sex items might revolutionise your most intimate endeavours.
Oomf CBD Lube. Photo credit: Quanna
CBD lube
CBD lube can help blood flow, increase sensitivity and decrease pain. Make sure you’re purchasing from a reputable seller and that it’s safe for oral and/or internal use. It’s important to note that many oil-based CBD lubes are not safe to use with latex condoms.
Here’s some CBD lube to try:
Photo by Priscilla du Preez on Unsplash
CBD massage oil
An intimate massage is the ultimate foreplay. Whether it comes in an oil, cream or spray (for people who cringe at creamy, oily fingers), CBD can help ease muscle tension while putting you in the mood for even more post-massage pleasure.
Get ready for some deep relaxation with these CBD massage oils:
Photo credit: Endoca
CBD suppositories
CBD suppositories can increase sexual pleasure in a few ways. When inserted either anally or vaginally, you tend to get more of the beneficial compounds of CBD that would otherwise get stripped away in the gastrointestinal system if consumed orally.
Suppositories can also produce more targeted effects as our pelvic tissue contains cannabinoid receptors. CBD suppositories can aid in anal sex through muscle relaxation and ease uncomfortable conditions such as vaginal dryness. Unfortunately there are not too many options for CBD suppositories in the UK market.
Photo by Elsa Olofsson on Unsplash
CBD edibles and ingestibles
If you prefer your CBD taken orally, then CBD oil and other ingestibles can be the perfect pre-sex treat to kickstart your sex drive. Keep an eye out for full-spectrum CBD consumables which tend to include a more holistic range of benefits from the cannabis plant than CBD isolate-based products.
CBD flower strains for sex
Want to go straight to the source and use CBD flower to enhance your sex life? If smoked or vaped, CBD flower can often produce immediate effects, or you can steep the flowers and drink as a tea. Strains that are high in specific terpenes such as Limonene (increases sex drive) or Linalool (great for stress relief) are sure to put you in a sensuous mood.
