I have always been able to “keep up with the boys” when it comes to smoking weed. At least for most of the guys I’ve dated, I always wanted to smoke a little more than them. Only recently when I’ve met people, women and men, who loved to smoke a large volume, have I felt like my tolerance breaks have paid off. Infrequent as they are, I find them necessary to keep my cannabis use as effective as I can. I try to control my dependence and find stepping away is helpful. I have wondered though if I should be taking more or less tolerance breaks than my male counterparts?
Tolerance to cannabis is affected by a variety of factors. One possible way that makes a difference is estrogen. Estrogen can intensify the effects of THC, making it ideal for treating menstrual pain. However, women experience quicker buildup in tolerance, needing a high volume of consumption than men to achieve the desired effects. More research needed, as I love to say, but women underrepresented in most cannabis considerations. It is true that as our presence in the community grows, so might consideration of how cannabis affects women differently. For me, even a higher percentage of THC will still usually get me to the plateaued I seem to have reached the last couple of years. Occasionally, an even stronger dose and more direct or intense intake method will hit me particularly hard. A few examples of that in recent years have been bong rips of pure keef, and blunts rolled with hash oil inside and shared between only 2 people.
Apparently, both men and women experience some increase in libido, but is generally experience by women more often. I know that I smoke a lot more throughout the day, and in general, than almost any intimate partner, but I can personally attest to enjoying cannabis before and after sex. It’s yet another activity made more enjoyable by getting a little high, and I feel that way about many activities and cannabis. Yet, enough women experience increased arousal that it may be more than enjoying weed in general. Another way in which women are particularly sensitive to cannabis… or not. More studies of hormones, transexual and intersexual people, and the overall long term effects of anyone who uses cannabis is so important. Men are the most common study subjects, while the entire population experience increased interest in cannabis.
There are lots of examined differences between in physiologies of women and men- like life span and sensitivity to certain drugs. Marijuana could be one that women’s minds are less receptive toward. Whether good or bad, remains to be seen. I feel like everyone should learn to pace their own cannabis intake, and find the balance between stronger and weaker cannabis, tolerance breaks, and moderation.
