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“Cannabis has the ability to make you feel connected to your body, and to make you experience the now.”  – Former director of marketing and communications at GrowWise Health in Toronto, Ljubica Kostovic

As the debate of cannabis use for medicinal purposes continues to rage in the United States, marijuana use has been the topic of conversation throughout the country. As of the November 2016 election, a total of 28 states and Washington, D.C. had passed laws legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana. On top of this, 8 states and Washington, D.C. had also passed laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21!

Not only do these laws allow for easier access to marijuana for those that are interested in its use, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes, but it also makes it easier for scientists to further exam the potential benefits of cannabis use.

One such study was recently published in the Pharmacological Research journal on November 21st, 2016, titled ‘Endocannabioid system in sexual motivational processes: Is it a novel therapeutic horizon?’ Conducted by researchers from the University of Catania in Italy and Charles University and Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, the study focuses on the potential use of cannabis as an aphrodisiac.

The study states, “The identification of THC and late on, the discovery of the ECS have opened a potential therapeutic target for sexual dysfunctions, given the partial efficacy of current pharmacological treatment.”

The researchers collected and evaluated several available investigations from the 1970s and 80s focusing on the impact of cannabis use on sexual intercourse. The study found that the effects remained the same regardless of the sex of the individual in question, providing both men and women with the potential to improve their sex life. They did, however, find that the effects are highly dependant on the dose of cannabis in question.

Small doses of THC have the opposite effect, so be cautious! In his book ‘The Marijuana Smokers,’ Erich Goode, former professor of sociology at Stony Brook University stated that smoking approximately 50 joints over a six-month window of time proved to be the most beneficial while smoking less than one joint each week had a dramatically negative impact on the sexual experience.

While the findings are promising, the studies used were extremely dated. Further research will be required before consumers will see Viagra-branded cannabis products gracing the shelves of their local drug store, however, the future looks promising!