It’s a question we’ve all probably pondered before, whether aloud or to ourselves—is having sex high better than having it drunk? While we’re no doubt sure you’ve probably experienced both before and have likely formed your own opinions, researchers at New York University recently conducted an actual study that provides a more, shall we say, scientific, answer.
Led by NYU medical professor Joseph Palamar, the study was initially conducted to examine if and how marijuana use influences the risk of unsafe sexual behavior. To find the answer, researchers analyzed detailed interviews of 24 heterosexual adults (half male, half female), aged 18-25, discussing their past sexual experiences while under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana. The results? Not all that surprising.
For starters, “Beer Goggles” do indeed exist. As one female subject stated, “With weed I know who I’m waking up with. With drinking, you don’t know. Once you start drinking, everybody looks good.” Yup, no surprise there. Both men and women tended to agree that drinking alcohol definitely affected their standards when it came to choosing a partner.
Another non-shocker: You’re more likely to regret drunk sex than high sex, as the study pointed out that “alcohol was more likely than marijuana to lead to atypical partner choice or post-sex regret,” in addition to alcohol being “often associated with hasty decisions; for example, not using a condom.” (Yeah, you know who you are.) Meanwhile, marijuana’s classic side effect—that of paranoia—had the complete opposite effect, making respondents more selective about who they hooked up with. Perhaps one subject put it best when they said, “I want to cook the person something to eat (after sex) when I’m high. When I’m drunk, it’s like, ‘I’m out of here.’”
In addition, the study found that both men and women agreed that marijuana gave them longer, more intense orgasms, with one 32-year-old woman even stating that her orgasms were “magnified by at least five times.” Alcohol, on the other hand, once again had the opposite effect of its study counterpart, as researchers discovered that “alcohol tended to numb sensations” while marijuana “tended to enhance sensations.” “[With alcohol] everything is sort of blunted and muted, reported one male respondent. ”Whereas with marijuana, it’s intensified.” Yup, sounds about right.
Perhaps most surprising of all was the discovery that, depending on the strain of marijuana consumed, cannabis could actually have the potential of making you more creative in bed. As one male respondent put it, “I smoked some Blue Cheese and…I was licking ass, doing all kinds of crazy stuff I had never even thought of.” WOW. Wonder what would happen if hit some Gorilla Glue. On second thought, never mind.
Conclusion? Yup, marijuana definitely seems to take the cake (and frosting. Sorry, we had to.) when it comes to sex. Sex and foreplay are just more pleasurable when you’re high, which of course isn’t surprising considering that marijuana enhances the senses. And alcohol? Well, like one of the subjects said, if you’re having trouble getting laid, it just might be your best shot. With all pun intended.
