The average Valentine date includes a gift, flowers, a nice
meal, maybe wine, chocolates, and (hopefully) a little sexy time. For the newly coupled, this opportunity to lovebomb one another can feel giddy. For seasoned lovers, it can be a tool for reinvigorating romance. For the unattached, hopefully the heart-shaped holiday inspires a commitment to self-love. The indulgences of Valentine’s Day provide an excellent opportunity to acknowledge the heart’s desire but to do so, let’s have a brief (maybe true) history of Saint Valentine and the holiday as we know it.
Saint Valentine was the patron saint of epilepsy and beekeepers, which is a far cry from Cupid and chocolate truffles. It was around the circulation of Parlemont de Foules, a 14th century poem by Geoffery Chaucer, that the Roman saint became associated with love and mating. In the poem, the protagonist drifts to sleep and is escorted through the heavens to a “well of grace” beyond the gates guarding Venus’ celestial temple. Upon finally passing through the Goddess of Desire’s temple, the subject steps into a bright spring day to find Nature conducting a parliament of birds. Under Nature’s watch, a young bird is to choose her mate from three competitors. After some time, the formel requests that Nature allow her not to choose; Nature obliges and thus grants free will to the young formel.
In the wake of Chaucer’s poem, lovers began to send letters and poems to each other, with increased fervor during the Valentine’s season. Interesting that a poem identifying the nature of love and lust to be free will would generate the consumerist bonanza that we identify as Valentine’s Day in the 21st century. Everything is freaking pink and covered in hearts and even the most romantic
among us must feel a slight roil of disgust at the onslaught of marketing campaigns aimed at coupledom, or more starkly – at the absence of coupling.
Whether blissfully (or even unwittingly) single or happy in love, Valentine’s Day should be a whimsical and fun way to feel a little passion. For cannabis enthusiasts, there is no better way to show love than with a healthy dose of THC. Enjoying any holiday,
but particularly one so amorous, does require a supreme level of chill. To reduce anxiety, choose cannabis varietals that are rich in terpenes such as limonene, beta-caryophyllene, and linalool. You may be familiar with these terpenes and how aroma affects your mood when you recall lavender, vanilla, and pumpkin spice – all scents made with essential oils featuring the same terpenes.
To settle into your Valentine’s experience, you might consider an indica-dominant flower that carries limonene – a terpene that has been shown to reduce anxiety and increase focus. This combination can be found in Skywalker OG, an indica varietal that users state helps them get out of their heads and into their bodies without feeling foggy or too high. Other favorite varietals for amping up the love connection include Wedding
Cake (caryophyllene) and Zkittles (linalool). For fellas looking to increase libido, try heady Gelato, rich in myrcene. Girl Scout
Cookies is a varietal featuring linalool that has been reported to work particularly well for vaginal arousal.
Having fire flower is just the first step to a satisfying Valentine’s experience. Punctuate your evening with cannabis infused and
derived treats for all of your senses. Pick up a mocktail kit from Mimosa Creek Mixology to get your cannabinoids in without getting high (or drunk). Feed your sweet tooth with any of the lickable spreads from Mystery Baking Company. Indulge your senses with a MariBliss Candle featuring terpenes and fragrances engineered to elevate your mood, a bath bomb from Feel This Skincare loaded with cannabinoids to nourish your skin, or a massage featuring any of the outstanding infused topicals available in the Oklahoma cannabis market.
Speaking of topicals, Bison Extracts, an Oklahoma processing company with a firm understanding of the power of terpenes introduced me to their infused lubricant. Their product, Liberation, was initially developed to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome, a painful condition that causes infertility. Owner Necole Cantu explained that Liberation was formulated with gynecological oversight to ensure that the full spectrum cannabis oil and proprietary essential oil blend are safe and effective for consumers who need relief from this impactful condition. As a secondary perk, users reported that the product encouraged sexual stimulation and lead to increase in libido. Of the number of lubricants surveyed for this article, Liberation was the easy
winner for texture, scent, uptake time, duration, and clean up. The infused lubricant takes around 20 minutes to “kick in” and
the increased arousal sensation lasted through climax.
Whether you’re showering your sweetheart with affection or focusing on your own needs this Valentine’s season, you can certainly find some amazing ways to incorporate cannabis.
