"I Couldn't Just Say 'Can You Go Home Please'": Exploring UK Adults' Freedom to Negotiate Alcohol- and Drug-Involved Sexual Experiences.
Journal of sex research January 5, 2026 Lauren A Smith, Katerina Z Kolokotroni, Rhys Turner-Moore
Substance use can both help and hinder people's ability to negotiate sexual activity, depending on the drug and social context. In a survey of 354 UK adults aged 18-40, qualitative analysis of substance-involved sexual experiences revealed three themes: drugs like MDMA and cannabis can enhance communication and mutuality, sometimes breaking traditional sexual scripts; they can also open up new sexual opportunities; but sexual refusal remains constrained by relational pressures, gendered power dynamics, and event-based factors, particularly for women. The findings suggest that while drug use can enable ethical and consensual sexual experiences, it can also reinforce existing inequalities.