Marijuana may be a \u201cgateway,\u201d but not in the stigmatized way it\u2019s been portrayed by prohibitionists as a stepping stone to other drugs. Rather, a growing body of scientific literature signals cannabis is a \u201cgateway to women\u2019s orgasm\u201d that could hold significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of female orgasmic disorder\/difficulty (FOD), a new research paper says.<\/p>\n
For the analysis, published in the journal Current Sexual Health Reports last week, clinical sexologist Suzanne Mulvehill discussed how, even though FOD affects an estimated 72 percent of premenopausal women, there are currently no drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the condition. And cannabis represents a novel therapy that could fill that treatment gap.<\/p>\n
\u201cPsychiatrists have traditionally been trained to define legitimate prescribing primarily through formally regulated pharmaceutical pathways, even while routinely prescribing medications off-label. For FOD, cannabis falls outside this conventional framework,\u201d the report says. \u201cRecognizing its therapeutic value therefore asks psychiatry to broaden its understanding of what constitutes medicine and evidence-based care, particularly for conditions that lack effective conventional pharmacologic options.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFive decades of convergent evidence\u2026demonstrate a consistent association between cannabis use and enhanced orgasmic function.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Mulvehill emphasized that incorporating cannabis into sexual medicine \u201cwill require openness to recognizing it as a therapeutic ally and developing clinical competence in its responsible use,\u201d while rejecting antiquated framing that\u2019s regarded marijuana as a \u201cgateway\u201d to dangerous drugs that must be \u201cavoided at all costs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis stigma shaped society as a whole, as well as the training of psychiatrists and therapists,\u201d Mulvehill, founder of the Female Orgasm Training Institute, said. \u201cYet cannabis today should be reframed: not as a gateway to illicit drug use, but as a gateway to women\u2019s orgasm\u2014and, more broadly, to restoring women\u2019s sexual agency.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFemale Orgasmic Disorder\/Difficulty remains one of the most prevalent yet least adequately treated conditions in women\u2019s health,\u201d the paper says. \u201cThe absence of FDA-approved pharmacological treatments, combined with the limited effectiveness of existing psychological and behavioral interventions, reflects a fundamental mismatch between the complexity of orgasmic difficulty and the scope of most current treatment models. The evidence reviewed demonstrates that cannabis occupies a uniquely promising position within this gap.\u201d<\/p>\n
The analysis points to five decades of research into cannabis that\u2019s demonstrated \u201cconsistent associations with improvements in orgasm frequency, ease, and satisfaction, while simultaneously reducing anxiety, inhibition, cognitive distraction, and bodily disconnection, which are core barriers to orgasmic function.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIntegrating cannabis into sexual medicine represents both a clinical and cultural shift,\u201d the author wrote<\/a>. \u201cWhat distinguishes cannabis is not merely its ability to improve a single symptom, but its capacity to therapeutically influence multiple orgasm-facilitating and orgasm-inhibiting processes simultaneously, aligning with the multidimensional nature of Female Orgasmic Disorder\/Difficulty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving forward will require an expansion of clinical perspective beyond traditional treatment frameworks, alongside interdisciplinary collaboration, provider education, and clear clinical guidance on dosing and administration to ensure safe, evidence-based care. Together, these developments position cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic ally in advancing equity, effectiveness, and innovation in women\u2019s health care.\u201d<\/p>\n
A previous scientific review Mulvehill coauthored last year pointed to ample evidence that cannabis is associated with improvements in symptoms of FOD<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The research involved an analysis of one randomized controlled trial and 15 observational studies, using data from a total of 8,849 women. Based on the findings, study authors determined that marijuana \u201cappears to be a promising treatment option for FOD\/difficulty, with the majority of studies reviewed reporting improvements in orgasm function and satisfaction among women who use cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Relatedly, another study published last year determined that marijuana use is linked to increased sexual desire and arousal<\/a>, as well as lower levels of sexual distress.<\/p>\n
In 2024, a study found that\u00a0cannabis-infused vaginal suppositories seemed to reduce sexual pain in women after treatment for gynecological cancer<\/a>. Combining the suppositories with online exercises in \u201cmindful compassion\u201d offered patients even more substantial benefits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe outcomes favoured the [combined] group,\u201d that research said \u201cin which sexual function, levels of sexual arousal, lubrication, and orgasm increased, and the levels of sexual pain decreased.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier research also found that administration of a broad-spectrum,\u00a0high-CBD vaginal suppository was associated with \u201csignificantly reduced frequency and severity of menstrual-related symptoms\u201d<\/a>\u00a0as well as the symptoms\u2019 negative impacts on daily life.<\/p>\n
As for sexual fulfillment, a separate study last year found that while alcohol might be effective to \u201cfacilitate\u201d sex, marijuana is better at enhancing sexual sensitivity and satisfaction.<\/p>\n
While alcohol increased some elements of sexual attraction\u2014including making people feel more attractive, more extroverted and more desirous\u2014people who used marijuana \u201chave more sensitivity and they are more sexually satisfied than when they consume alcohol,\u201d authors wrote.<\/p>\n
A broad\u00a0scientific review of academic research on cannabis and human sexuality<\/a> published in 2024 concluded that while the relationship between marijuana and sex is a complicated one, use of cannabis is generally associated with more frequent sexual activity as well as increased sexual desire and enjoyment.<\/p>\n
That article, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, also suggested that lower doses of marijuana may actually be best suited for sexual satisfaction, while higher doses could in fact lead to\u00a0decreases<\/em>\u00a0in desire and performance. And it suggested effects may differ between men and women.<\/p>\n
Some advocates have cited the potential for cannabis to improve sexual function in women as a reason to\u00a0add conditions such as FOD as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana<\/a>.<\/p>\n
A 2020 study in the journal Sexual Medicine, meanwhile, found that\u00a0women who used cannabis more often had better sex<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Numerous online surveys have also reported\u00a0positive associations between marijuana and sex<\/a>. One study even found a connection between the\u00a0passage of marijuana laws and increased sexual activity<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Yet another study, however, cautions that more marijuana doesn\u2019t necessarily mean better sex. A literature review published in 2019 found that cannabis\u2019s impact on libido may depend on dosage, with\u00a0lower amounts of THC correlating with the highest levels of arousal<\/a>\u00a0and satisfaction. Most studies showed that marijuana has a positive effect on women\u2019s sexual function, the study found, but too much THC can actually backfire.<\/p>\n
Separately, a paper last year in the journal Nature Scientific Reports that purported to be the first scientific study to formally explore the effects of psychedelics on sexual functioning found that\u00a0drugs such as psilocybin mushrooms and LSD could have beneficial effects on sexual functioning<\/a>\u2014even months after use.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the surface, this type of research may seem \u2018quirky,\u2019\u201d one of the authors of that study said, \u201cbut the psychological aspects of sexual function\u2014including how we think about our own bodies, our attraction to our partners, and our ability to connect to people intimately\u2014are all important to psychological wellbeing in sexually active adults.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of Max Jackson.<\/em><\/p>\n
The post Marijuana May Be A \u2018Gateway To Women\u2019s Orgasm\u2019 In Sexual Health Treatment, Scientific Analysis Finds<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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