The Best Strains of Cannabis for Sex

“What’s the best flower strain for sex?” I get this question all the time. It’s a great query that only has one completely accurate answer: it depends. There are many factors to consider when pairing a strain with sexual activity:

• What kind of sex are you going for? (Solo, partnered, slow lovemaking, frenzied lust, etc.)
• How does your body react to different strains?
• What method of consumption are you using? (I’ve found combusted flower affects me differently than vaped flower)

Here are some strains I personally enjoy with certain sexual situations. These recommendations are general guidelines based on what has worked with my body chemistry and tolerance, so keep in mind that your experience may vary somewhat. Also, for the purposes of this overview, I’m smoking flower, not vaping.

For Sexy Solo Time: Girl Scout Cookies

This gets top billing for two reasons: first, masturbation is awesome and legitimately good for you. Second, you can’t always have partnered sex due to factors beyond your control –time, distance, opportunity, etc. — but you can always make time for self-loving.

Girl Scout Cookies is great for solo sex because it’s creative and euphoric, which helps enrich fantasies to make them more vivid. A method I’ve found super effective is to take a few hits of GSC, pull out my phone and start reading erotica, and once I’m sufficiently turned on (which doesn’t take long with this strain), the phone goes away and my imagination takes over. Every detail in my imagined scenario is so vivid it’s almost tangible.

You may not always have time to orgasm, but that doesn’t need to be the goal. Instead, you can aim for simply pleasure, which can be enjoyed for as little as seconds at a time.

For Slow, Passionate Lovemaking: Bubblegum Kush

The first time I smoked with my lover B, we tried Bubblegum Kush in a pipe. Its heady high gave me a sensual buzz and increased my need for touch. As we laid down in bed together, I instantly noticed my body’s increased responsiveness to his touch. I’m extra sensitive to tactile stimulation when high, and as he massaged my body, I could feel myself getting much more aroused than usual. I’ll spare you the explicit details, but suffice to say it was incredibly intimate with a lot of eye gazing and loving epithets.

Bubblegum Kush also got me closer to a relaxed orgasm, as opposed to the tension-fueled, toe-curling orgasms that many people experience. Neither is better than the other, but the latter requires a lot of muscle clenching, which can cause cramping or fatigue. A relaxed orgasm is more of a peaceful experience where it just washes over you, and I found that with Bubblegum Kush, I didn’t experience as much tension.

For Frenzied, Lustful Sex: Sour Diesel

I can’t leave Sour Diesel out of this list because it’s such a popular strain, and several of my partners love it for sex. For my own body chemistry, I’ve found that it can produce anxiety if I’m not careful.

That said, sex has become my lifehack for Sour Diesel. I get a rush of excited energy after smoking this strain, which can be mindfully directed into some seriously intense “keep-going-and-don’t-stop” sex. It’s the type of sex where you crave the other person with an almost insatiable desire, where you can feel your heart pounding and your skin getting flushed and every touch is electrified. It’s a great feeling, and a high-energy strain like Sour Diesel only serves to augment it.

For Morning Sex: Harlequin

If you’re a person with a typical 9-5 job, you may not be able to get super baked before work. At the same time, lots of people love morning sex as a way to start the day off on a positive note. What to do if you want to combine them?

Enter Harlequin, a high CBD strain known for its relaxing, pain-relieving, and clear-headed effects. When I use this strain for morning sex, I feel present and grounded. It helps me focus on the experience I’m having and not the day’s to-do list. This combo is way better than coffee to get your day started.

For Creative, Kinky Sex: Jillybean

Jillybean is highly creative, uplifting, and euphoric, which makes it easier to incorporate new and interesting things into your sexual menu. You may be inspired to try new performances like roleplay or dirty talk. Or perhaps Jillybean gave you a confidence boost to try on that hot little red garment that’s been teasing you from the back of your closet. Maybe you’ve gotten a confidence boost to ask your partner to try something new. Whatever your kink, Jillybean is a good complement.

(This article originally appeared on leafly.com and was written by Ashley Manta)