How does marijuana interfere with sex?!
Question:
How does marijuana interfere with sex?
Answers:
Dear Alice,
Does the use of marijuana affect a person's sexual performance?
Dear Reader,
Whether it's sex, socializing, or skydiving, marijuana's affect on performance can vary. Pot is in a drug class by itself — neither considered a stimulant, nor a depressant, because its effects are in large part determined by the expectations of its users. If you anticipate or hope for a mellow, ride-with-the-tide, go-with-the-flow result from lighting up, that is probably what you will get. If a giggle-fest is your goal, then your tokes may well tickle your fancy. By the same token, marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs can also amplify one's pre-existing personality traits: paranoia; fearfulness; gregariousness; anxiety; aggressiveness, etc. And, these factors don't jump out the window when you jump into bed.
There are certain effects of pot use, though, that are consistent. Smoking up impairs both coordination and judgment, much in the same way that alcohol use does. So, making safe and comfortable decisions about sexual behavior might be difficult, and interactions might be filled with a lot of fumbling. Let's face it: sex can take a lot of coordination, even while completely sober!
However, Alice cannot make a definitive statement about how pot might influence your sexual relations, or those of anyone else, because of the interplay of the above mentioned individual expectations and differences. However, you and your partner can probably get more specific answers for yourselves by discussing and examining marijuana's role in your sex life: is it an innocuous side-bar, used every now and then (legal considerations aside), or is it a third participant on which you depend? For some, sex itself is an anxiety-producing proposition, so they use pot to relax. Others might use weed with the mission of heightening sensitivity. Keeping in mind the powerful role that your mind plays in the action of pot and other drugs, the calming down and turning on goals can also be reached without bringing drugs into the bedroom. Alice is always concerned with the possibility that any drug can become a crutch for behaviors, sex included, that people find uncomfortable. For some, these crutches turn into necessary aides, resulting in unhealthy use and abuse.
One last note: long-term use of marijuana does seem to affect reproductive health. Marijuana has an effect on testosterone production and other hormones, which in turn can affect fertility, erectile dysfunction, menstruation, and other areas. Also, heavy, long-term marijuana use can either cause or contribute to low motivation and sex drive. Unfortunately, this is not usually one of the items on any pot smoker's wish list.