The biggest question of them all – does cannabis affect men and women differently? Most importantly, do men and women prefer different cannabis strains? These questions are important to our understanding of the effects of cannabis, and our use of it. In essence, predicting how cannabis affects the body is relatively easy, though there may be differences between the male and female body.
For instance, some studies have shown that, between young men and women, the former are more likely to consume cannabis. Even as adults, the same holds true. It seems that men are much more predisposed toward cannabis consumption on account of their gender and sex. However, there may be biological reasons for this, as well as hereditary causes for the differences in effects on our body.
Men tend to develop dependences more often than women, and they also consume psychoactive substances in larger quantities. Cultural, genetic, and environmental factors play a large role in the way we consume cannabis. For instance, compared to men who actively seek the immediate gratification associated with psychoactive substances, women consume them to alleviate stress.
Why is there a difference in how cannabis affects men and women?
Apparently, cannabis affects each of us differently based on hormonal activity. As you know, the endocannabinoids system interacts with hormones, among which are sex hormones. These have been found to be connected to the cannabis use patterns present in men and women. While some use cannabis for the rewarding experience it provides, others use it to promote wellbeing and alleviate stress.
The cannabinoid receptors like CB1 are influenced by the sex hormones, and this leads to various interactions with the cannabinoids in cannabis. When it comes to one’s sex, we estimate that hormones, genes, neurobiology, and physiognomy directly influence the way cannabis affects us. However, that’s not all. Gender is the other side of the coin.
Both genders have different growth and development environments, different identities and relationships that govern their decisions in the world. Using cannabis shares common life patterns, and it appears that man have specific life patterns that lead them to consume cannabis more often than women. Men not only consume cannabis in bigger numbers than women, but they also consume larger quantity of this wonderful plant.
Regarding women, many of them who consume cannabis report feelings of confidence and better perceptive prowess after consuming their favorite strain. However, they also get harsher side-effects like stronger hallucinations. Moreover, compared to men, women have stronger withdrawal symptoms when they try to abandon cannabis. It seems that cannabis affects them in a much more intense way, making them succumb to dependency more often.
On the other hand, men consume more cannabis thanks to the lower density of CB1 receptors in their endocannabinoid system. They also experience weaker withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, cannabis may inhibit and decrease the testosterone levels of men, especially strains high in THC. While this makes men more mellow and less prone to dangerous behaviors, it’s still a notable negative side-effect. Testosterone is key to the proper development of a man. Losing it isn’t good by any means.
Are there relevant studies for this?
Besides the one quoted earlier, the scientific community’s attention to cannabis is still growing, so the number of studies is low. Instead, we have a rich trove of anecdotic evidence that points to many interesting conclusions regarding sexual and gender-related differences between cannabis use. Biologically speaking, we’re pretty sure that the main difference comes from the density of cannabinoid receptors in men and women.
Moreover, the way each person metabolizes the cannabis depends on their biology, which is influenced by sex hormones. Sex hormones heavily influence a person’s biology and bodily functions. We wouldn’t be surprised to find out that women prefer more relaxing strains rich in CBD, while men go for THC-rich strains. It may be written in the genetic code of each person but that has yet to be discovered. We’re waiting for science to say something about this.
While there are plenty of stories showing how young men take more initiative with cannabis and psychoactive substances, women use it too. In our perspective, the many cultural, environmental, and social factors are very influential in a person’s decisions and predilections to consume cannabis. However, we can be sure that the scientific community will perform more studies on the way cannabis affects men and women. If it affects them differently, we want to know why!
Once we know, you’ll know, so keep a close watch on our articles!