By RQS Editorial Team


The effects of cannabis are pretty predictable, yet a lot of factors can influence its final result on the body. Likewise, many factors can influence our cannabis habits, and one of them appears to be sex.

DOES SEX INFLUENCE THE EFFECTS OF CANNABIS?

The prevalence of cannabis use differs slightly between men and women. Young men tend to use cannabis more than young women, and this ratio increases further among adults. Patterns of use also differ based on sex and gender roles. Researchers are trying to pinpoint how sex hormones influence mammals’ sensitivity to psychotropic substances, cannabis included, while the variation in cannabis use among men and women in different countries suggests an environmental and cultural influence. Besides hormones, there are other potential sex-related factors driving our cannabis use.

HOW DOES CANNABIS USE DIFFER BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN?

Men seem more prone to using psychotropic substances than women, and in larger quantities. When it comes to cannabis, men usually report more intense effects than women, and are more likely to develop some sort of dependence. As with any other substance, both genetic and environmental factors play a role in cannabis use patterns. Although it’s clear that genetic factors can increase or decrease our risk of abuse, there is no evidence of specific gene variants that alter cannabinoid sensitivity.

At Yale School of Medicine, gender-sensitive treatments for tobacco dependence discovered that in men, the rewarding effects of nicotine play a more important role than in women, who appear to smoke more to reduce stress. In men, dopamine is released in a part of the brain associated with reward and reinforcement. In women, dopamine tends to be released in an area associated with behaviours in response to negative inputs. Cannabinoids work differently than nicotine, yet the result of this research might hint at a broader phenomenon. Indeed, other research indicates that women are more likely to use cannabis for “functional reasons” such as pain and anxiety control.

WHY DOES CANNABIS AFFECT MEN DIFFERENTLY THAN WOMEN?

Research supports the possibility of a dimorphic effect of cannabinoids based on sex hormones. The endocannabinoid system’s close interaction with sex hormones provides a biological foundation for sexual differences in behaviours related to reward and well-being that drive cannabis use patterns. CB1 receptor density can be altered by sex hormones, which can also modulate levels of endocannabinoids and their metabolising enzymes. Moreover, the recent discovery that pregnenolone, the precursor of all steroid hormones, can directly modulate cannabinoid receptor activation supports the concept of a tight link[1] between sex hormones and the endocannabinoid system.

 

SEX-RELATED FACTORS THAT AFFECT CANNABIS RESPONSE
GENES HORMONES
PHYSIOLOGY & ANATORMY NEURO BIOLOGY
GENDER RELATED FACTORS THAT AFFECT CANNABIS RESPONSE
IDENTITY ROLES
RELATIONS INSTITUTIONAL

HOW DOES CANNABIS AFFECT WOMEN?

Many women report enhanced sensations and confidence after using cannabis. As a side effect, it appears that girls are more likely to suffer temporary visual alterations and memory impairments after using cannabis than boys. Furthermore, a 2015 study[2] by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine aimed to understand the difference in cannabis withdrawal symptoms between men and women. Women reported more symptoms and a higher overall level of discomfort than men, suffering from typical symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, and gastrointestinal discomfort.

Studies on rats show that the hormone estradiol can modulate the endocannabinoid system, whose feedback then influences estradiol production. Female rats have different levels of endocannabinoids and more sensitive receptors than males in key areas of the brain related to control of movement, social behaviour, and filtering of sensory input, with significant changes along the menstrual cycle.

Interactions between the endocannabinoid system and the brain’s production of dopamine are therefore sex-dependent, and consequently might also influence the cannabinoid-induced feelings of "pleasure" and "reward". Other experiments have found the pain-relieving effects of THC to be more effective in female rats as well. However, they need higher doses of THC than male rats over time to obtain the same effects.

HOW DOES CANNABIS AFFECT MEN?

Regardless of the influence of hormone cycles, it has been shown that CB1 receptor availability is lower in males. These quantitative differences in the endocannabinoid system might contribute to differences in effects and usage patterns between males and females. Moreover, the metabolic breakdown of cannabis itself may differ between the two.

It seems that men don’t need cannabis tolerance breaks as often as women do, and they might experience less pronounced withdrawal symptoms than women. On a possibly negative side, high levels of THC may temporarily result in low levels of testosterone, and exactly how cannabis affects sexual stimulation in men is debated. Both natural and synthetic male sex hormones increase risk-taking behaviour, thus we might argue that cannabis is actually useful in calming down some of boys’ risky attitudes. At the same time, compulsive cannabis use in males might also derive from these hormone-driven behaviours.

THERE IS STILL A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT CANNABIS’ EFFECTS ON MEN AND WOMEN

These preliminary scientific results help us understand potential differences in the effects and usage patterns of cannabis among men and women. We just don’t know exactly why, or how, to benefit from this distinction—at least not yet.

Controlled human studies are still very limited. Most of the sex differences[3] you may find are likely to be influenced by external factors. However, the gap between men’s and women’s social, medical, and personal use of cannabis[4] is shrinking, and we expect more research on this issue to come to light soon. Today, all we can theorise is that the mechanisms driving these differences reside in the availability of cannabinoid receptors, in metabolising processes, in hormones, or in a combination of the three.

Although anecdotal evidence claims that boys show a more compulsive use of psychotropic substances than girls, this hasn’t prevented women from gaining major leadership roles within the cannabis industry—but that’s another story.

External Resources:
  1. The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Sex differences in cannabis withdrawal symptoms among treatment-seeking cannabis users. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. How important are sex differences in cannabinoid action? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. Sex Differences in Cannabis Use and Effects: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Cannabis Users https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: