How prescription-only weed-infused lube works

Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll.

As a former stoner, I still get a little jolt of excitement when I find out the scientists have figured out a way to infuse weed into a new product. Weed popcorn? Yep. Weed bath salts? Sign me up. So when I heard about weed lube – or more specifically, Ellechemy’s Calm.By.Design CBD-infused lubricant, I was like, uhuh, give me that.

Ellechemy is a Melbourne-based lubricant company using active, medical-grade ingredients to make lube that goes far beyond the job description. It was co-founded by gynaecologist and fertility expert Dr Raelia Lew and her childhood friend, fashion and beauty professional Jordi Morrison.

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Its range includes both prescription and non-prescription products, designed to help with everything from maintaining vaginal equilibrium to combatting symptoms of menopause. However, the Ellechemy team is quick to note that although their products contain active ingredients, they’re not designed to be medicine and they’re not a replacement for seeing a doctor when something’s wrong.

“Our mission is to make the best lubricants in the world that we can, with a female pleasure focus,” Dr Raelia tells me. “It’s all about improving your sex life.”

While Ellchemy’s products are scientifically backed, they still feel sexy rather than overly clinical, which was of utmost importance to the founders. “Just because it was medical, it didn’t need to be ugly,” says Jordi. 

The CBD-infused offering was designed to ‘assist sexual relaxation’ and make it easier to orgasm. For those unfamiliar with CBD (or cannabidiol, as it’s formally known), it’s a compound found in marijuana, responsible for the chilled-out feeling you get from weed, but not the actual high, which is caused by THC.

Dr Raelia tells me the product is especially suitable for “people who’ve had a history of sexual pain, people who have endometriosis, people who have a problem called vaginismus where they have hyperactivity of the pelvic floor.”

As CBD is still a controlled substance in Australia, getting your hands on the Calm.By.Design lube requires a prescription, which can be acquired through a short Telehealth appointment that can be booked directly through the Ellechemy portal.

Once I’d filled out my questionnaire and had a call with the doctor, the product was sent to my house and it was time to put it to the test. Luckily, my boyfriend was more than happy to lend a hand, or shall I say a – well, you know.

The lube comes in a discreet white bottle with a pump top. I chose the unscented water-based option but there’s also a silicone-based version and a gardenia fragrance, allowing you to mix and match to your preference. The texture was creamy, luxurious and hydrating rather than watery and messy as some lubes can be (at $215, I did expect it to be more cosmetically elegant than KY Jelly). After applying a generous amount (it’s only one per cent CBD, so there’s no danger in overdosing), we began the waiting game. 

Although I’d originally thought it might be a bit weird to have to wait for the suggested 15 minutes before having sex, it actually fit seamlessly into our usual foreplay. After a few minutes, we both noticed a bit of tingling. It was working! 

Once we got to the sex part, it totally made sense to me why the Ellechemy team recommends this product for people who have pain during intercourse, even though that’s not something I typically experience myself. On top of the slippery-slidey feeling you’d get from a typical lube – always a bonus – the overall sensation was a subtle, topical relaxation and a slight warming feeling.

The positions that would typically be uncomfortably deep were surprisingly fine, which allowed us to go for it without that ‘OW that’s my cervix’ moment. The subtle sensation also allowed me to focus on my body and be in the moment rather than being stuck in my head. 

As per my boyfriend’s report, most of the benefits for him came before we actually had sex, other than a not-unpleasant “Deep Heat on the balls” feeling. He found the idea of the CBD lube fun and he was excited to try it, but he didn’t notice a huge difference during the act itself. 

Would I use it again? Absolutely, especially when having rougher sex or trying out new positions. This reminded me of something Jordi and Dr Raelia had mentioned during our conversation: the idea of having an arsenal of lube options for different purposes. While it’s not something I’d turn to every day, it’s definitely a great tool to spice things up and I’m glad to have it up my sleeve. If they ever release a THC lube, I’ll be first in line!

For more on the benefits of CBD in the bedroom, head here.