Utah’s list of qualifying conditions for Medical Cannabis has been modified a couple of times over the last few years. The most recent modification saw the addition of acute pain for which a prescription narcotic would normally be offered. Will our list be expanded again? And if so, will it include female orgasmic disorder (FOD)?
The team here at Utah Marijuana offers this question in all candidness. FOD is a recognized condition and one that four states are now looking at as a possible addition to their qualifying conditions lists. Those states are Ohio, New Mexico, Illinois, and Connecticut.
We would like to point out that Ohio is also considering adding autism spectrum disorder to its list. Doing so would greatly expand access to Medical Cannabis in the Buckeye State. Here at home though, getting FOD on our qualifying conditions list isn’t even on the radar right now.
Sometimes referred to as orgasmic dysfunction, FOD is a sexual health problem that manifests itself primarily in difficulty achieving orgasm. However, some FOD patients report having orgasms that are less intense or less frequent than normal. FOD has been linked to a lack of sexual satisfaction among females in romantic relationships.
FOD can be either primary or secondary. Primary FOD is diagnosed when a woman has never been able to achieve orgasm. Secondary FOD is diagnosed when a woman who previously had no difficulty achieving orgasm now struggles to do so.
A quick internet search reveals that a number of studies dating back to the 1970s showed that cannabis can improve orgasmic response in women. More recently, a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine seems to demonstrate the very same thing.
More than half of the study’s 387 participants reported experiencing difficulty with orgasms. When using cannabis before sex, 72.8% reported increased orgasm frequency. In addition, 67% reported increased orgasm satisfaction while 71% said that achieving orgasm was easier.
The evidence in favour of Medical Cannabis as a FOD treatment seems pretty clear. But getting the condition added to a state’s qualifying conditions list might not be so easy. What is the big challenge? Medical necessity.
It is one thing to convince lawmakers that cancer patients deserve the option of using Medical Cannabis to relieve pain and nausea. Convincing them to okay Medical Cannabis for PTSD and chronic pain is comparatively easy since no one wants to see patients suffer from either condition. But it’s a lot harder to get them on board with adding sexual dysfunction. Medical necessity objections get in the way.
We will not go as far as to say that adding female orgasmic disorder (FOD) to Utah’s list will never happen. After all, no one thought our state would approve Medical Cannabis to begin with. Yet here we are. We will say that getting FOD on our list right now would probably be an uphill battle.
On a more positive note, Utah has a history of letting other states lead the way. We step back and wait to see what happens elsewhere. If things go well, we get on board. That could ultimately end up being the case with FOD.
Assuming that all four states currently entertaining the FOD question ultimately add it to their qualifying conditions lists, other states are sure to follow. Utah could be one of them. Who knows? A couple of years from now, we could be talking about seeing your medical provider for a Medical Cannabis recommendation to treat FOD. Anything is possible at this point.
