Alcohol advertisers have long faced industry guidelines discouraging them from linking drinking with sexual success, but cannabis marketers have no comparable industrywide standards. A new Washington State University study suggests cannabis advertising associated with sex and intimacy may influence young adults’ intentions to use cannabis before sex, with potential implications for sexual decision-making and consent.

Published in Communication Research, the study found that college students who interpreted advertisements as suggesting cannabis could lead to better sex were more likely to expect those benefits themselves and to say they might use cannabis before sex. This association emerged whether or not the advertisements explicitly featured sexual themes.

The findings are based on an online experiment involving 747 Washington college students who viewed real cannabis advertisements previously posted on Instagram. Rather than asking participants to recall cannabis marketing they had encountered in the past, researchers showed everyone specific advertisements, allowing them to examine how individuals interpreted the same messages and whether those interpretations influenced their expectations and intentions.

Participants viewed advertisements featuring sexual, romantic or recreational imagery, including couples in intimate settings and friends socialising around a bonfire. They were then asked what messages they took from the advertisements, what effects they expected from using cannabis before sex and whether they intended to do so.

Simply viewing an advertisement with sexual or romantic content did not consistently predict participants’ responses. Instead, their interpretation of the message appeared to matter more. Those who believed an advertisement suggested cannabis could improve sex were more likely to expect it to enhance their own sexual experiences or reduce nervousness and were also more likely to consider using cannabis before sex.

“It wasn’t as simple as seeing a message and automatically being influenced by it,” said lead author Jessica Fitts Willoughby, a professor in WSU’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. “The stronger connection appeared when someone interpreted the ad as saying cannabis makes sex better and then they thought it might do the same for them.”

Researchers also identified differences between men and women. Men who wanted to resemble the men portrayed in sexual or romantic advertisements, who were often depicted as physically fit, attractive and masculine, were more likely to report an intention to use cannabis before sex. Women who felt the advertisements raised concerns about sexual consent, however, were less likely to report such intentions. The researchers said this finding could inform public health messages about cannabis, decision-making and consent.

The findings may also contribute to discussions about cannabis advertising standards. Washington prohibits cannabis advertising aimed at people under 21 but does not specifically prohibit suggestions that cannabis can improve sexual or romantic experiences. Unlike the cannabis industry, the distilled spirits industry has long maintained voluntary guidelines restricting claims linking alcohol with sexual success. Study co-author Stacey J.T. Hust said the research raises a broader question about whether cannabis advertising should be regulated more like advertising for other adult-use products, including alcohol.

More information: Jessica Fitts Willoughby et al, Sex, Romance, or Recreation? An Experiment Testing the Effects of Cannabis Brand-generated Social Media Ads on College Students’ Expectancies and Intentions to Use Cannabis Prior to Sex, Communication Research. DOI: 10.1177/00936502261480401

Journal information: Communication Research Provided by Washington State University