Marijuana can kill your manhood

fter seven years of marriage and childlessness, Anne and Robert sought medical help. Their first stop was a renowned private hospital in town. The hospital did a battery of tests; the significant finding was that Robert had no sperm in his semen.

Robert was also experiencing progressively flaccid erections; he and his wife now had sex on average once in three months.

“That is why we are here,” Ann explained when they came to the sexology clinic. “The hospital says that we’d better sort out the loss of erection first before even thinking of sperm count.”

I interrogated the couple to find out the cause of the loss of erection, keeping in mind that it could be the same problem causing lack of sperms. My interrogation revealed nothing. Physical examination also revealed nothing. I ordered for tests, including hormone ones.

Results of the tests showed a significant reduction in Robert’s testosterone. As you may be aware, this is the hormone of masculinity. It causes men to be aggressive and sexually active. Its reduced levels were the immediate cause of the problem. Our next task was to find out what was causing the hormone deficiency.

INTENSE STIMULATION

“I have been eating chocolates loaded with marijuana,” Robert explained. “Could this be a cause?” I reclined in my seat, surprised, as Robert kept talking. He had been ingesting the drug almost daily for close to nine years.

Marijuana is known to have effects on sexual function as well as fertility. At low doses, the drug has a stimulatory effect. As such, one may feel more urge for sex. Because the drug distorts the sense of time, one ends up feeling that they have prolonged pleasurable sex even when there is no prolongation. Orgasm may be felt ecstatically.

But soon the body gets accustomed to these drugs and keeps demanding higher doses to maintain similar feelings. And sustained exposure leads to testosterone suppression. 

“What!” Anne exclaimed. “I have been  warning you but you never listen. I am not ready to be part of this self-inflicted injury.” Anne was annoyed. I pleaded with her to be more supportive because all was not lost.

“But my problem is low testosterone, not what the doctor is explaining!” Robert interjected.

Well, besides its roles in erections, testosterone also stimulates sperm production. The lack of it is what was causing lack of sperm in Robert’s semen.

The couple’s infertility could directly be linked to testosterone deficiency resulting from use of drugs.

Despite these physiological problems of some drugs, many addicts also have sexual behavioural problems. Due to the misjudgement, there is a tendency to have sex with people that one would ordinarily not associate with sexually. “At least I forced Robert to go for testing recently when I caught him red handed with our house girl in the act!” Ann said.

WITHDRAWAL PROCESS

“Stupid! Did you have to mention that?” Robert interjected angrily.

I warned the couple to maintain some decorum in the clinic. There was definite need for relationship counselling in addition to attending to their infertility and sexual problems.

Robert was admitted and supported to withdraw from the addiction. The withdrawal process went for three months and Robert was put in a support group to help him keep off the drugs.

After that, he was put on medication to help boost his testosterone production.

Repeated semen analysis tests showed marked improvement in his sperm count. The couple also underwent sex coaching and intimacy counselling.

“This has been a test for my patience but I am glad I persevered,” Anne said during their last visit to the clinic as I handed her a referral letter to an antenatal clinic. She had missed her period and her pregnancy test was positive.