DOPE SEX?

I may have mentioned this before, but my first real boyfriend was a
narcotics salesman (sounds so much better than dope dealer don't you
think?).

Besides the steady drug supply, the one thing I loved about that
relationship was the sex. He was older and had been with a few women
older than himself who had taught him a thing or two. As a newbie, I
was happy to benefit from his experience. When things started falling
apart, I was reluctant to give up the sex, but because I was falling
out of love, it became harder to get in the mood.

Pot helped.

In fact, it got to the point where smoking a joint was the only thing
that got me in the mood. I loved sex while stoned -- it felt all
floaty and connected and transcended me to the happy place.

I don't smoke much anymore though I still enjoy the occasional
transcendent indulgence. A few puffs can make a dull party amusing. If
I'm feeling awkward and anti-social, it can make me chatty and witty
(well, I think I'm terribly witty anyway).

And unlike alcohol, pot tends to enhance my senses, rather than dull
them.

Obviously, not everyone has the same reaction. I have friends who get
right stupid on pot, or who become paranoid and anti-social.

Others simply fall asleep.

But I'm not the only one who thinks pot makes a decent sexual
enhancer.

Marijuana has been used as an aphrodisiac for thousands of years. The
ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine systems used cannabis to increase
libido, produce long-lasting erections, delay ejaculation, facilitate
lubrication and loosen inhibitions. Some Tantric sex practitioners
drink a substance called bhang - a sort of spiced marijuana milkshake
- - to enhance the sexual experience. According to one source, Indian
prostitutes ingest bhang sherbet to help them feel sexually aroused.
In 19th century Serbia, female virgins were given mixtures of lamb's
fat and cannabis on their wedding night to make sex less painful. Many
Middle Eastern and Northern African cultures have used cannabis for
sexual purposes in a potent form known at kif as recently as the early
20th century.

So what is it about weed that turns people on?

Besides the obvious - heightened sensation, relaxation and a feeling
of hyperconnectedness - there are also physiological effects. Along
with increased heart rate, changes in blood flow and respiration,
"Neurochemistry, hormonal systems, and brain regions such as the
temporal lobe are affected by both marijuana and sexual arousal,"
writes Terry Necco in Cannabis Culture Magazine.

That's because THC (delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol), the active
ingredient in pot, not only releases dopamine in the brain - causing
the "high" - it replicates the effects of a sexy little naturally
occurring neurochemical, called anandamide.

But pot doesn't always make sex better. For some people, it has the
opposite effect. Ascetics, monks and others have used marijuana to
free themselves of sexual desire. Instead of connecting them to their
bodies, sexual desires, or other people, pot helps them meditate. And
certainly for some regular folk, it's tough to focus on coming when
your mind is busy contemplating the meaning of life.

The sexual effects of smoking also depend on the person's tolerance to
the drug. A couple of tokes may get one person in the mood (and keep
'em there before, during and after the act), while another user may
need to get really high in order to feel a heightened sexual awareness.

Of course, as with anything, you can have too much of a good thing.
Heavy, long-term marijuana use can result in low motivation, including
the motivation to have sex.

And whereas some folks report an increased libido - in one study, men
said they achieved bigger, harder erections, while women said they
became wetter and were more able to achieve orgasm when stoned -
others may report an inability to sustain an erection. It is commonly
believed that smoking marijuana causes reproductive system damage,
having an effect on testosterone production and other hormones (which,
in turn, can affect fertility, menstruation, and erectile functions,
among other things) because cells within the reproductive system are
very high in fat, and thus absorb and hold more THC than do most other
cells in the body. (Apparently, in some cases, male pot smokers have
developed man boobs because of localized fatty deposits.)

Pot prohibitionists like to haul out the "pot will lower your sperm
count" argument, though research on this produces conflicting results.
One study that was widely reported a few years back supposedly proved
sperm count reduction as a result of marijuana exposure. Turns out it
was a study done on sea urchins, not humans. How they got those little
sea urchins to inhale, one can only guess.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), on
the other hand, cites study upon study indicating that those lower
sperm count levels return to normal once marijuana consumption had
ceased.

One of the most controversial topics surrounding marijuana, though, is
its use during pregnancy.

It's no surprise that the U.S. government, with a history of "Just Say
No" campaigns, trades on scare tactics. Most official propaganda, er,
research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), for example,
indicates low birth weight and developmental problems in babies born
to women who used marijuana during pregnancy.

However, while experts generally recommend against any prenatal drug
use, the folks at NORML reference recent National Academy of Sciences
work, saying, "Marijuana has little evidence implicating it in fetal
harm, unlike alcohol, cocaine or tobacco.

Epidemiological studies have found no evident link between prenatal
use of marijuana and birth defects."

In fact, one study of Jamaican women who had smoked pot throughout
pregnancy found that their babies actually registered higher on
developmental scores at the age of 30 days, while experiencing no
significant effects on birth weight or length.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

For a fun read, check out Pot Planet: Adventures in Global Marijuana
Culture by Brian Preston
(2002, Grove Press)