Pot-based sex spray for women hitting Colorado shelves

Trevor Hughes | USA TODAY

DENVER — A new pot spray promising to help women have better sex will hit the shelves in Colorado next week.

Foria, which contains marijuana extract, claims the relaxing properties of cannabis will help women have better and more satisfying sex. It's been available for a few months in California, but only to people with a medical marijuana card and doctor's recommendation. The edible coconut oil-based spray — users spritz it on their genitals about 30 minutes before sex — goes on sale to the general public in Colorado next week at an Aspen marijuana boutique.

Foria, from Aphrodite Group, a California medical marijuana cooperative, is the latest in a burgeoning line of marijuana-infused products, from lotions to candies to patches. And while there's little scientific evidence to back up their efficacy, scientists say marijuana's long history of use gives significant credibility to the concept.

"Cannabis is an aphrodisiac," said Genifer Murray, CEO of CannLabs, one of the nation's largest marijuana-testing companies. "And there's a lot of nerves down there."

What sets Foria apart, industry experts say, is its slick marketing campaign that's driving significant interest from customers. The company is launching Foria in Colorado at the X Games in Aspen, which begin Jan. 22. A video on the company's website features women speaking openly about how they use it and its effects. Foria claims to be the first sexual lubricant designed specifically to improve sex for women.

"We definitely have patients coming in for it, requesting it specifically. ... A-list celebrities that come in specifically for it. You'd be surprised who comes in for it," said Matthew Rosen of the CannaSutra co-op in Studio City, Calif. "Most people have been giving positive feedback on it."

Among those giving positive feedback: Rosen's own girlfriend. "We tried it together and she loved it," he said.

Foria isn't cheap. In California, medical marijuana patients "donate" money instead of buying products, and they donate about $44 for a 10ml bottle. Each spritz contains about 2mg of THC, the component of marijuana that normally gets people high. But marijuana plants contain dozens of other chemical compounds, and Foria's makers say their proprietary blend generates heightened sensation but doesn't get the user high.

Murray said there's been an explosion in marijuana-infused product offerings, many of them little more than snake oil trading on the trendiness of legal marijuana.

Colorado and Washington state both allow recreational sales and use of marijuana, and Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia also have legalized but not yet started recreational sales. Because Foria is a marijuana product but not a prescription medicine, anyone 21 or older can buy it over the counter from a legal pot shop. Initially, Foria will be offered only at the Native Roots chain of marijuana stores in Colorado.

In Colorado, many of those recreational marijuana stores carry marijuana-infused lotions, including the "Legalize Lotion" line from Apothecanna. Users say the lotions can ease pain and relax muscles, which is pretty much what Foria claims to do. Some massage therapists in Denver are even offering "Mile High" massages with pot-infused oil, which customers say is incredibly relaxing.

Murray said she's tried out several different kinds of pain rubs, along with Foria.

"If this can help women have orgasms, I'm all about that," Murray said.

And did it work for her? "No comment," she said with a laugh.