Study: Cannabis Produces the Same Pleasure as Having Sex Regularly

Researchers at the Cannabinoids Lab of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Medical Department studied how various activities provide us with pleasure, and came to the conclusion that the feelings yielded by marijuana and sex are more similar than previously thought. The reason seems to stem from the fact that the biochemical compensation provided by cannabis activates the same receptor as sexual pleasure: CB1.

The type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) is mainly located in the brain, and is activated by various components. Among them, endocannabinoids, THC, and phytocannabinoids. The implications of this activation are diverse, such as increased appetite and decreased anxiety. In addition, it is responsible for the psychoactive effects from the consumption of THC, the plant's active ingredient.

The study published shows that consuming marijuana not only causes said effects, but is also capable of producing levels of pleasure similar to those obtained from sex.

In addition to the activation of CB1, intercourse and cannabis consumption cause us to release oxytocin, a hormone linked to sexual patterns.

Scientists also point out that this pleasure is not obtained only by smoking marijuana, but also from other types of consumption, such as the ingestion, inhalation or application of balms.

Monica Méndez Díaz, a member of the research group, commented on the results of the study: "we have endocannabinoids in our bodies that are synthesised naturally." These endocannabinoids "are released all day, activating neurons" and also "when we have sex." Méndez added that the two activities provide the nervous system with a reward of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the activity of the brain and is responsible for feelings of pleasure.

This is far from the first time a direct link has been established between sexual pleasure and marijuana use. Cannabis has been identified and used for thousands of years as a powerful aphrodisiac whose benefits include the intensification of sexual experiences, a greater ability to communicate sexually, increased corporeal awareness and concentration, and intensified climaxes.