Whatever your personal feelings and opinions about marijuana for social, non-medicinal use, it’s pretty clear that the U.S. is moving towards a day when it’s going to be completely legal and as common as alcohol. As more and more states decriminalize and legalize it for personal use, naturally more people are going to become curious about exploring it.

Part of that exploration is going to be having sex while getting high. We think it’s important, therefore, to talk about the realities, benefits, and various ways of using cannabis during sex so that you’re empowered with the knowledge to practice and play safely. Our in-store workshop “Taking Pleasure to a Higher Level: the Basics of Sex and Cannabis” offers a deep dive into the topic, and our post this week is an introductory Q&A with instructors Justyn Hintze and Frankie Amitrano that previews what you’ll learn there.

Who are you and why are you qualified to teach this workshop?

I’m Justyn Hintze (she/her pronouns), a sexologist, educator, pleasure revolutionary, and public speaker. I have my masters in human sexuality education from Widener University, and I work as an educator at Lotus Blooms. I write curriculum on intimacy and pleasure, and have been a guest writer for Kinkly, Frogloop, and Teaching Sex Ed, to name a few. I’ve also facilitated panels and workshops at conferences and in classrooms nationwide.

I’m Frankie Amitrano (they/them pronouns), and I manage Herbal Alternatives, a cannabis dispensary in DC. I’ve been working in the cannabis industry for more than twenty years.

What are you going to cover in the workshop?

We’ll talk about the many different ways to ingest cannabis, and how each of them affect the body. We’re also going to go over the ways that various strains interact with bodies differently, and what to look for in different strains. We’ll cover the benefits of combining cannabis and sex, but we’ll also talk about the side effects and how to take a body-safe approach.

What are some of the different ways to use cannabis?

Besides smoking it in a pipe or roll, it can be ingested as an oil or tincture (on its own or as part of a food product), used in a vaping pen, applied as a topical cream or lotion, or even found in a lube.

Who would benefit the most from coming to this workshop?

People who are totally new to cannabis use and want to learn the basics about their options and about keeping themselves safe, who are also curious about how it will impact their sex lives, will get a lot out of this class. It’s also good for  people who are already experienced at consuming cannabis but want to know how it can improve or enhance their sexuality.

Why are we talking about something that’s still not even legal in a lot of places– including Virginia?

The use of cannabis either medically or recreationally is legal in 43 states and DC. Possession and use has been decriminalized in limited ways in Maryland, where there’s also a medical marijuana program. We believe that, especially as more people are able to access it, everyone should be educated about the ways their bodies may interact with cannabis if consumed. Even in places where it’s still illegal, many people are using it. It’s like Prohibition– it criminalized alcohol, but people still consumed it, and it was important for them to be aware of the effects.

Side note: What’s the difference between legalization and decriminalization?

Legalization is just like it sounds– it means that it’s legal, with no criminal penalties. Decriminalization, on the other hand, means that it’s still illegal, but the penalties have been reduced, and in some places, law enforcement may decide not to prosecute offenders.

It’s also important to know that there are different laws for different aspects of cannabis use– for example, possession may be treated differently from public use, or from possessing paraphernalia like rolling papers. If you’re curious about trying it, it’s worth doing a little research to find out exactly how your state regulates it.

What misconceptions are there about sex and cannabis that are similar or maybe overlap?

So many people who are having sex and/or using cannabis aren’t talking about it. There are a lot of taboos, even in this day and age, about saying that you’re sexually active or that you smoke or do edibles. We definitely plan to talk about the stigmas that people encounter, and that maybe they’ve even internalized themselves. People may also not have a really clear idea about how addictive cannabis is or isn’t, or wonder if using cannabis during sex will interfere with their ability to give consent or to be fully “there” with their partner. Another overlap is that lots of people are nervous about going to a sex store and might also feel the same way about going to a dispensary for the first time– it’s pretty common for people to be afraid of looking dumb or naive, or to have a mental image of both those places being dangerous or sleazy or sketchy.

Why do you think this workshop is necessary?

Aside from destigmatizing cannabis use and sex, which is important, these are two things that actually go really well together. There are a lot of benefits from integrating cannabis into your sex life, including stress relief, pain management, and relaxation. It can also enhance sexual experiences and pleasure by increasing sensations and heightening arousal. That being said, it’s important to go into it armed with clear information about how to approach it, what to use, how much, what to expect, and the ways your body might respond to it. That’s what we hope to achieve– empowered, informed, responsible use that makes your sex life even better.

Follow Justyn on Twitter: @justynashley 

Got questions for us? Drop a comment, email us at info@lotusblooms.com, or give us a call!

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