From chills to hot flashes, mood swings to insomnia, menopause is a roller coaster, to say the least. And there aren’t a lot of effective medications to help women cope with it.
Now that cannabis is becoming legal in many US states, however, a growing number of women are turning to weed to treat debilitating symptoms that come with this hormonal shift.
While women ages 45-55 aren’t exactly the stereotypical cannabis consumer, a 2020 study showed approximately one in four of this age range have tried cannabis to manage symptoms of menopause. Common symptoms treated with cannabis include mood changes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, and hot flashes.
Smoking cannabis helps some women cope with these symptoms, but there are also creative, smoke-free ways to incorporate cannabis into your wellness routine during menopause. These diverse methods of consuming cannabis are easy to use, and are often more appealing to those exploring weed, CBD, or hemp for the first time.
We rounded up a few cannabis products ideal for women using cannabis for menopause symptoms.
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1. Cannabis/CBD Tinctures
Cannabis tinctures are concentrated cannabis mixtures in an oil or alcohol base. Tinctures come in 1oz droppers and you can add a few drops to a beverage of your choice. Or you can take a few drops straight under the tongue.
The exact effect the tincture has on your body depends on the type of cannabis you choose for the mixture, and the way your body reacts to cannabis. In most cases, however, a few drops of either a cannabis indica or CBD tincture will be enough to reduce stress and promote a good night’s rest.
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2. Cannabutter
Cannabutter is cannabis-infused butter that you can use for baking and cooking. You get more of the plant’s medicinal properties through infused butter than by smoking it, meaning the effect will generally be stronger.
If you’re struggling with insomnia and need a powerful stress-reliever before going to bed, try incorporating cannabis indica into brownies or another sweet baked good cooked with cannabutter.
There’s a lot of variety to what you can cook with cannabutter, so this method of consumption can also be a fun activity for anyone who likes to incorporate plant medicine into their cooking.
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3. Cannabis Bath Bombs
Cannabis bath bombs are infused with topical cannabis oil that works to soothe the body.
If your job is physically active and you find yourself constantly on the go, cannabis bath bombs are a great way to decompress from a long day’s work. A cannabis bath bomb can soothe sore joints and muscles, regulate body temperature, and relieve anxiety before going to bed.
4. Cannabis Body Balm
Menopause can often cause joint pain and stiffness. Fortunately, cannabis body balms can help relieve soreness, and some people have even found them to help alleviate symptoms of arthritis and similar chronic pain.
Cannabis body balms are cannabis-infused body butters that are designed to relieve tension in the body. They are used by some as a supplement to ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories.