By Justin Lehmiller

A lot of people attempt to enhance their sex lives by turning to perception-altering substances, with two of the most common being alcohol and marijuana. But how exactly do these drugs affect us in the bedroom?  A recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior offers some insight.

In this study, 24 young adults in New York City completed in-depth interviews in which they were asked to compare their past experiences using alcohol and marijuana during sex. Although this sample is obviously small, the findings are nonetheless informative. Here are some of the highlights:

• A lot of participants reported that both substances make them feel sexier or more attractive; however, this was more common for drinking than it was for smoking.
• Both substances were described as affecting one’s choice of sexual partner; however, people said that alcohol tended to have a more negative effect on partner selection. Why? When people were drunk, they were more likely to have sex with strangers they probably wouldn’t otherwise hook-up with (the old “beer goggles” effect). By contrast, when people were high, they tended to have sex with people they already knew. This difference in partner selection is probably a function of the fact that people tend to use alcohol and marijuana in very different settings: alcohol is consumed more often in bars and clubs, whereas marijuana is consumed more often in homes and private parties.
• Given these differences in partner selection, is should not be surprising that alcohol use was linked to having more sexual regrets the next day compared to marijuana. Most commonly, these regrets were linked to choice of partner; however, they sometimes involved specific sexual acts, such as forgoing condom use.
• Alcohol was linked to more impairments in sexual performance, including erectile difficulties, vaginal dryness, and (sometimes) falling asleep during sex. Some marijuana users reported negative sexual effects, too, but they were more psychological than physical in nature (you know, like paranoia and anxiety).
• Both substances were described as having dosage effects, with each linked to more problems when consumed in larger (compared to smaller) quantities.
• Participants were more likely to say that the physical sensations of sex were enhanced or heightened while high, but “numbed” while drunk.
• A lot of people said sex lasts longer when they’re drunk; however, this is likely due to alcohol’s desensitizing effects on the body. Interestingly, some people thought this was a good thing, whereas others thought it wasn’t. Marijuana use was linked to feeling that sex lasts longer, even though if it didn’t actually last longer—it just changed people’s perception of time.
• Both drugs were seen as having inconsistent effects on orgasm. While some felt that being high led to more intense orgasms, others had difficulty reaching orgasm because they felt too distracted. Likewise, while some felt that alcohol delayed or inhibited orgasm, others said that being drunk allowed them to orgasm faster or more often.
• Marijuana was more often described as resulting in tender and slow sexual experiences, whereas alcohol was linked to more intense sex. Both drugs were linked to trying new things in bed.

Keep in mind that all of these findings come from a small study and shouldn’t be generalized broadly. Also, remember that these findings are based on self-report data, which means that people may not recall precisely how much of each substance they consumed or exactly how it affected them.

More research is certainly needed, but these results suggest that alcohol and marijuana seem to have quite different sexual effects. However, understanding the effects of these drugs is a very complex matter, given that they depend not only on dosage, but also on a given person’s body chemistry.

To learn more about this research, see: Palamar, J. J., Acosta, P., Ompad, D. C., & Friedman, S. R. (2016). A qualitative investigation comparing psychosocial and physical sexual experiences related to alcohol and marijuana use among adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior. doi:10.1007/s10508-016-0782-7

Note: The definitive version of this article was originally published on Sex & Psychology.

---------------

Dr. Justin Lehmiller is an award winning educator and a prolific researcher and scholar. He has published articles in some of the leading journals on sex and relationships, written two textbooks, and produces the popular blog, Sex & Psychology. Dr. Lehmiller's research topics include casual sex, sexual fantasy, sexual health, and friends with benefits. He is currently the Director of the Social Psychology Graduate Program and an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Ball State University.