Marijuana as an Aphrodisiac? What Studies Show

Is marijuana an aphrodisiac? Research has not settled that. The evidence is thin and mostly self-reported: a survey of more than 51,000 U.S. adults linked marijuana use with more frequent sex but could not show cause, and a 2020 review on female sexual function tied higher doses to lower desire.

Erectile dysfunction is not one of the conditions Florida’s medical marijuana law names. Florida protects only the medical use that your physician certification authorizes.

Cannabis is not a substitute for prescription drugs for sexual problems, such as Viagra, Cialis or Addyi, so talk with a doctor about those options.

Below, we look at why marijuana might act as an aphrodisiac for some people and what to know before bringing cannabis into the bedroom.

People Have Used Marijuana as an Aphrodisiac for a Long Time

Some traditional accounts describe marijuana as an aphrodisiac, though we found no medical source that tests or dates them. In Indian tradition, cannabis is described as part of tantric sex rituals. Instead of smoking it, however, cannabis was mixed with milk and various herbs, spices, and nuts to create a drink called bhang.

Bhang was said to increase sexual pleasure, and it was also used as an aid to spiritual enlightenment. Those accounts are tradition, not tested effects.

No study cited here has tested bhang for sexual effects.

Folk stories also credit cannabis with easing pain during first-time sex, but we could not find any research on that claim.

Why Marijuana Might Act As an Aphrodisiac

More research is needed on the aphrodisiac effects of marijuana, but here’s what we do know:

• CDC says cannabis use directly affects the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time.
• Cannabinoids such as THC act on the body’s cannabinoid receptors, and the CB1 receptor is the one responsible for their mind-altering effects, researchers note.
• That is part of why, as NIDA puts it, cannabis “can make people feel more happy or relaxed.” Whether that makes sex feel better varies: a 2020 review of 12 human and 8 animal studies of female sexual function found low doses generally helped or had no effect, while high doses dampened desire.

What Studies Say About Marijuana as an Aphrodisiac

• A 2017 analysis of a national survey of more than 51,000 U.S. adults found that people who used marijuana reported having sex more often, though it could not show that marijuana was the cause.
• The 2020 review searched studies published from 1970 to 2019 and found that the human studies were based mainly on questionnaires.
• Because questionnaires rely on people’s own reports, the 2020 review calls for more well-controlled studies before drawing conclusions.

3 Things to Know About Marijuana and Sex

1. Does Marijuana Enhance What You’re Already Feeling?

Marijuana isn’t an aphrodisiac in the sense that, once you take it, it automatically makes you more interested in having sex.

Rather, users often say marijuana amplifies the thoughts and feelings they already have. If you’re with someone you already find attractive, users say it can heighten that feeling, but no controlled study has shown it.

On the other hand, if you’re not attracted to the person you’re with, that same amplifying effect could just as easily leave you wanting time alone on the couch with a snack.

2. Strain Labels Are Not a Reliable Guide

Marijuana isn’t a “catch-all” aphrodisiac that has the same, consistent effect on everybody.

We all have different bodies and temperaments. As a result, we all respond differently to marijuana, depending on the type and strain we’re using.

Two very basic examples are:

• The “body high” many users link to indicas
• The “head high” many users link to sativas

But a 2022 chemical analysis of commercial cannabis from six states found that indica, sativa and strain labels often failed to match what was in the product, so they are a weak guide. Ask your physician, not a budtender, about effects.

3. Can Too Much Marijuana Backfire?

One story shared online describes a couple who ate a strong edible and smoked two joints over two days, then found they felt numb rather than aroused.

The lesson here is pretty clear: too much marijuana can kill the romance. Their account is one couple’s story, not a study, but it fits the 2020 review’s finding that high doses dampened desire.

Research does not support a “right” amount for sex. The 2017 survey found sex was more frequent among weekly and daily users, but it measured frequency, not performance, and could not show cause.

In other words, there is no proven sweet spot, and higher doses are more likely to dampen desire.

What do you think about marijuana as an aphrodisiac? Have you ever used it for that reason? Or do you prefer to keep cannabis out of the bedroom? Share your comments with us on Facebook.

Last updated October 18, 2026 by the Dr. Green Relief Editorial Team.

Sources

• Sun AJ, Eisenberg ML. Marijuana use and sexual frequency in the United States. J Sex Med. 2017 (PubMed)
• Lynn B et al. Effects of cannabinoids on female sexual function. Sex Med Rev. 2020 (PubMed)
• Smith CJ et al. Phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis. PLoS One. 2022 (PubMed)
• Gertsch J et al. Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid. PNAS. 2008 (PubMed)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cannabis Health Effects
• National Institute on Drug Abuse, Cannabis (Marijuana)
• Florida Statutes s. 381.986 (2026)