People between the ages of 18 and 30 who consume cannabis and alcohol may experience superior sexual function and better orgasms than those who use neither drug, according to a new study in the journal Healthcare. Before rolling up a spliff or necking a quart of vodka, though, bear in mind that this study is merely observational and does not provide evidence of any causal link between intoxication and sexual prowess.

It’s also important to consider that the jury is still very much out over the impact of both weed and booze on one’s ability to hit a home run in the bedroom. Previous studies have provided highly contradictory findings, and evidence implies that both substances affect men and women differently and that age may also be a factor.

The study authors, therefore, decided to focus specifically on young adults, given that this group tends to consume the most alcohol and cannabis and also has the most sex. A total of 274 people aged 18 to 30 were recruited to take part in the study in Almeria, Spain, during the first half of 2020.

All participants completed a series of questionnaires in order to provide the researchers with information regarding their alcohol and cannabis consumption patterns as well as various aspects of sexual function. Overall, severe cannabis users scored higher for sexual function and arousal than non-users, while the same advantages were enjoyed by heavy drinkers in comparison to abstinent individuals.

Higher levels of alcohol use were also associated with better orgasms, and the authors note that no major differences were observed between men and women for either substance. Summing up these findings, they explain that “sexual function in young people who use cannabis and alcohol more frequently was shown to be better than in those who do not use either.”

While this study doesn’t attempt to identify any underlying mechanism linking substance use and better sex, the researchers speculate that both cannabis and alcohol may bring about a “reduction in anxiety and shame, which facilitates sexual relationships.”

Previous research has indicated that women who get high before sex are more than twice as likely to report satisfactory orgasms and that regular stoners may have up to 20 percent more sex than those who don’t consume pot at all. At the same time, however, cannabis use has been shown to lower sperm count in men.

Alcohol, meanwhile, interferes with the body’s ability to produce nitrous oxide, which facilitates the vasodilation of arteries in the penis and enables men to achieve an erection. Unsurprisingly, therefore, previous research has shown that frequent drinkers are more prone to sexual dysfunction, although the authors point out that many prior studies have focused on older men, and that the results of this latest investigation may reflect the fact that younger individuals are less likely to experience false starts in bed.

Overall, the researchers conclude that more work is needed in order to determine the full impact of drug and alcohol use on sex and that those who do partake in such carnal indulgences would be well advised to do so in moderation.