Use of cannabis to help manage menopause symptoms

Added on 15 December 2023

Tags

Use of cannabis to help manage menopause symptoms

Not so long ago, young adults were the primary users of cannabis. The reality today, however, is that women and adults aged 50+ represent the fastest growing group of users. A study, presented during the 2023 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Philadelphia September 27–30, confirms the frequent use of cannabis by midlife women to manage an array of menopause symptoms.

With rapidly expanding legalization and normalization, recreational and medical cannabis use is increasing across all age groups. Past research largely focused on usage habits by men and younger adults. However, until now, little was known about the prevalence or characteristics of cannabis use among women in and after the menopause transition.

A new study based on data from more than 5,000 midlife women has sought to address this information gap by analyzing the frequency, forms, and motives of cannabis use by primarily postmenopausal women.

Based on the results, the researchers concluded that cannabis use is relatively common in midlife women. Over 40% reported ever using cannabis for recreational or therapeutic purposes, most often to treat chronic pain (28%), anxiety (24%), sleep problems (22%), and stress (22%). Women who reported using cannabis specifically for menopause symptoms (6%) primarily reported targeting menopause-related mood and sleep difficulties.

Photo by Christina Winter on Unsplash

Source: