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Erection Concerns (Expert Forum)
Impotence as a result of Marijuana use?
Answered by
Janice M Epp, PhD - Female sexual issues, Adolescent sexuality, Male sexual issues
Private Practice
Palo Alto - CA
Questions in the Erection Concerns Forum are being answered by Janice M Epp, PhD, a Clinical Sexologist from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. This forum is for questions and discussions about the psychological aspects of Erection problems
Impotence as a result of Marijuana use?
by abcrememberme, Oct 26, 2009 01:35PM
My boyfriend has used marijuana for years. He has started having difficulty getting an erection. I've heard that alcohol and cigarette smoking can cause impotence, but have any studies been done that link marijuana use and impotence? Can smoking marijuana cause erection problems and/or permanent impotance?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Janice M Epp, PhD, Oct 27, 2009 05:39PM
, Oct 27, 2009 05:39PMTo: abcrememberme
Hi.
First, I have no idea what you mean by the term "impotence," since it means many things to many people. It's actually inaccurate to use when referring to sex anyway. It means "powerless." I hope you don't think your boyfriend is powerless.
If he's having erections at other times, such as upon awakening and when being sexual with himself, it's probable that there's not a physical cause. That means that something about being sexual with a partner is creating some anxiety or concern for him. In this case, the two of you would be best served by talking about this issue and figuring out what's going on together.
If, however, he isn't having erections at any time, this would indicate a physical issue. If this is so for him, I'd suggest he see a urologist for an exma (eczema). It's true that for some men, lots of marijuana use can affect erections. However, much would depend on the amount and duration of his use. Dr. J
First, I have no idea what you mean by the term "impotence," since it means many things to many people. It's actually inaccurate to use when referring to sex anyway. It means "powerless." I hope you don't think your boyfriend is powerless.
If he's having erections at other times, such as upon awakening and when being sexual with himself, it's probable that there's not a physical cause. That means that something about being sexual with a partner is creating some anxiety or concern for him. In this case, the two of you would be best served by talking about this issue and figuring out what's going on together.
If, however, he isn't having erections at any time, this would indicate a physical issue. If this is so for him, I'd suggest he see a urologist for an exma (eczema). It's true that for some men, lots of marijuana use can affect erections. However, much would depend on the amount and duration of his use. Dr. J
Post Comment
He still has erections, it just takes more time to develop one, and they don't last as long. He feels his labedo is down as well. I'm assuming this can be a side effect of long term marijuana use? I guess that sums up my primary question.
I assume you're referring to his sexual desire and that he feels it has lessened? There could be many reasons for this. If he's interested in exploring this, you might encourage him to either write his own post to me, or to see a counselor who is trained to help people with sexual concerns. However, erections go up and down over the course of a lifetime, and sometimes don't mean anything is wrong. It needn't be a problem for either of you, if you can be flexible in your approach to sex without expecting that his penis will be hard all the time. Dr. J