Highsexuality: Does Cannabis Make You Gay?

Some of you may have heard about the notion that cannabis can make you gay. This belief may make you feel shocked or amused, but either way, there are people who believe this is a fact. 

In October 1986 Newsweek published an article, “Reagan Aide: Pot Can Make You Gay,” based on comments reportedly made by the White House drug adviser Carlton Turner—who ultimately denied believing this claim. Regardless of the source, motive or whether Turner did believe cannabis can make you gay or not,  some people continue to hold this view. So, let’s explore this question—does consuming cannabis make you gay?

What Does the Term “Highsexuality” Mean?

‘Highsexuality’ is a term that surfaced around 2015 in reference to straight men who experience attraction to other men after having consumed cannabis. Since then, many differing opinions have been formed about whether cannabis can make you gay or not. 

San Antonio Express News explains that this term is becoming increasingly popular as cannabis legalization continues to spread and asks important questions such as “Has Amsterdam long known of this phenomenon but kept it a secret?” and “Can you really be a ‘high sexual,’ or are you just gay (or bi) and unwilling to embrace it without a little help from Mary Jane?”

Cannabis and Sexuality: What Opinions do the General Public Hold?

Questions on platforms such as Quora and Reddit have provided a forum for people to discuss this issue. People would pose the question, “Does marijuana weed smoking make you homosexual?,” in a forum and people contribute their responses. As one may expect, the answers vary considerably.

Some believe that cannabis can make you gay, while others believe that cannabis can’t make you something you aren’t. Answers ranged from “Yes absolutely,” all the way to, “If that were true, the majority of people I know, men and women, would be gay. And they’re not. I have no idea where you heard this flimflam, but it’s bullshit.” 

Logo, an entertainment channel, posted a similar question on their Facebook page. While the majority disagreed with the notion, let’s have a look at what some of those respondents had to say:

1. “I call bullshit and an excuse to play, don’t mind though. This seems like a good anti-weed ad. “Marijuana, not even once. Or you will be gay, even just once.””-A. Mosley
2. “Sexuality isn’t black and white. It’s not just gay or straight. You can be sexually attracted to one male, but still only prefer females. Finding someone physically attractive as a person doesn’t completely mean it’s about their gender. I know it’s a stereotype, but women are more open to it. That’s why it seems like bisexual women are a majority, and bisexual men are a small number. Smoking weed won’t make you want to bang a guy, if you are a male. It just loosens you up, makes you relaxed and more open. Saying it makes you temporarily gay is not the right way to say it. More like it makes you temporarily unaware of something you usually might think of as taboo.”- M. Waterman
3. “No…it reduces your inhibitions and makes u more willing to come to terms with your sexuality.”- L. Emenheiser-Lathberry

Does Cannabis Convert Your Hormones to The Opposite Gender’s?

There is no specific research available on whether cannabis converts testosterone to estrogen. However, there are some studies which have been linked to  increased estrogen and decreased testosterone levels, as well as increased testosterone levels and decreased estrogen levels. Whether estrogen or testosterone increases or decreases depends on a variety of aspects ranging from the makeup of the strain, menstrual cycle of an individual, pre-existing hormonal imbalance, etc. 

To claim that cannabis converts your testosterone to estrogen which then makes you gay is not supported by research. If an individual assigned male at birth were to experience an increase in estrogen, they would experience the likes of larger breasts, erectile dysfunction, slowed down sperm production, hair loss all over the body, increased fat, etc.

However, it would not cause a change in sexual orientation. If you are a man experiencing any of these symptoms and are concerned that cannabis has made your estrogen levels too high, then see a physician immediately to evaluate your hormone level. 

Does Cannabis Make You Gay?

A study conducted by Ronald Weller and James Halikas found that cannabis can act as an aphrodisiac due to its ability to “loosen inhibition, enhance sensate focus, cause a generalized increase in enjoyment, slow perception time thus causing an enjoyable activity seemingly to last longer, has a reputation for sexual enhancement, and its use occurs under relaxed circumstances conductive to sexual activity.” 

Considering all of this information, the verdict is that cannabis does not make you gay and it does not make you straight if you are already gay. What it does do is loosen inhibition and allows an individual to be released from the barriers which stand in the way of their desires.