As more and more states in the U.S. legalize marijuana, there seems to be an increasing amount of research revealing some of the surprising benefits of cannabis. For example, one recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that, contrary to popular belief, smoking marijuana can motivate you to go to the gym. Now, a new study published in the journal Cannabis claims that smoking marijuana can have a positive impact on your relationship, too.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo and University of Houston asked 183 heterosexual couples to keep track of how often they used marijuana over a period of 30 days. They were also asked to note whether they experienced “an interaction or meaningful conversation with [their] partner that involved intimacy, love, caring, or support” to see whether or not they could establish a link between marijuana and intimacy.
The results indicated that “simultaneous marijuana use” (when both partners reported use within the same hour) “increased the likelihood of an intimate experience.” Interestingly enough, this boost in intimacy was also observed when only one of the two partners consumed cannabis.
Of course, the study has some significant limitations, most notably the short duration of the trial period and the fact that the results were self-reported. It’s also difficult to establish that the use of marijuana was the catalyst for intimacy. It could just as well be the case that couples who do things together— including but not limited to legally smoke marijuana—have better relationships and are therefore more likely to be close with one another.
That being said, previous studies have shown that marijuana can boost your sex life. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women who smoked weed experienced an increase in libido and were twice as likely to have a satisfying orgasm when compared with those who didn’t use marijuana at all. And a 2017 study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, also published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that those who smoked marijuana regularly had about 20 percent more sex than those who didn’t.
So this new study does add to a small but growing body of literature that indicates lighting up—where it’s legal, of course—can help light the fire in your relationship. And for more tips on how to add intimacy to your relationship, check out Science Says People with This Personality Trait Have Better Sex.
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