More and more people are turning to cannabinoids as a pre-bedroom supplement. According to a recent survey, nearly 2/3rds of adult lovers admit to consuming cannabis for sexual health. There is no shortage of products on the market that claim aphrodisiac-like side-effects either. Beyond Nuvata’s core line of terpene-rich and flavorful vaporizers from the Mind Body Series, there are creams, lubes, and even suppositories in the weed intimacy supplement market.
Maybe you have wondered if cannabis can help you with pleasure, intimacy, or sexual wellness? If so, we have just the Q&A for you! We sat down with Ashley Manta, of CannaSexual®, to explore the growing phenomenon and how cannabis may help you put the well back in sexual wellness. CannaSexual® is a word that Ashley created to “describe mindfully and deliberately combining sex and cannabis to deepen intimacy and enhance pleasure”, but we would go as far as to say that Ashley teaches Cannasexuality.
1. Is cannabis an aphrodisiac?
I think “aphrodisiac” is too strong a word. I know historically it has been used to describe cannabis but desire is such a complex and multi-faceted process that to say that cannabis “stimulates sexual desire” is reductive. What I will say is that cannabis can help address the things that get in the way of arousal, connection, and pleasure.
2. Should/Could it replace alcohol as the substance consumed to “loosen up”? What are the benefits?
I don’t recommend people use alcohol to loosen up, because it can make consent difficult to give or receive authentically. With cannabis, I encourage people to “negotiate before you medicate” so that you’re clear about what’s on the table and what you’re intending the cannabis to do for you, before you consume in a way that could be intoxicating. I wouldn’t recommend people use it to push themselves into a sexual headspace. Part of having great sex is getting comfortable talking about sex with your partner(s). Cannabis can help make the conversations feel less scary so that shame and fear don’t get in the way of honest discussions.
3. What are the most common barriers to intimacy?
Common barriers to intimacy include pain, shame, feeling disconnected from one’s body, limiting beliefs about what sex is “supposed to” look or feel like, and not feeling safe with or fully trusting your partner.
Ashley is right, too. As many as 75% of women report having at least one painful intercourse experience. For many this can be a one-time thing, for too many others, the pain is persistent. Further, women who have experienced sexual trauma likely experience shame and disconnection around sex.
4. How would you say that cannabis assists one in crossing said barriers?
Cannabis can help with most of these things. It can be helpful for pain, especially in topical form, but also when inhaled. It’s useful for work in reframing and examining limiting beliefs and shame in a therapeutic or coaching context (with a professional). It can also help people feel more present and connected to their bodies by enhancing sensations and helping to quiet down distractions in the mind.
The importance of pleasure positive experiences? Specifically for women? How about Queer communities?
Pleasure is for everyone and pleasure is your birthright. Having sexual experiences that feel good, consensual, and affirming for all parties involved is baseline. When using cannabis for intimacy mindfully, it can enhance sensations, decrease discomfort and mind chatter, and help people feel more deeply connected with their partners. That is a powerful experience for those who may often feel disconnected from their bodies or from pleasure.
In a 2018 interview on Viceland, Ashley also explained the importance of self-discovery when using cannabis for sexual wellness to a group of students. In her signature “Sex and Cannabis” classes, Ashley talks about the diverse ways we can incorporate cannabis into the bedroom. In closure, it was too good not to share.
“Keep a diary of When you’re trying a new strain or product, try a little bit and then go masterbate. And, then take notes. What does it do to your body? How quickly does it set in? Are you humping the furniture or are you, like, let’s binge watch netflix for several hours? And that way you have a catalog of data that is specific to you and your body!” Ashley Manta, CannaSexual®
For more information on Ashley, visit her website or Instagram.
Be sure to explore the different Nuvata vaporizers from the Mind Body series. Delivering proprietary, terpene-rich, and naturally flavored cannabis oil for optimum balance, this series offers six experiences that range from “full mind” to “full body”. Enjoy the wellness, mindfulness, and fun that cannabis can bring to your life, and bedroom!