Women Report Using Cannabis to Relieve Menopause Symptoms

Survey reveals that some women believe cannabis helps with symptoms that overlap with menopause, such as sleep issues and anxiety

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged women report using cannabis for symptoms that overlap with menopause, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, held from Sept. 22 to 25 in Washington, D.C.

Katherine Babyn, from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and colleagues conducted a web-based survey of 1,495 women (median age, 49.0 years) to assess cannabis use among middle-aged women.

The researchers found that one-third of women (33 percent) reported using cannabis within the last 30 days, and nearly two-thirds (65 percent) reported ever using cannabis. Current cannabis use rates were similar regardless of menopause stages. Of the 499 current cannabis users, three-quarters reported use for medical purposes and 43 percent reported at least once-daily use. Current use was most often for sleep issues (65 percent), anxiety (45 percent), muscle/joint achiness (33 percent), irritability (29 percent), and depression (25 percent). Three-quarters of current users found cannabis aided symptoms. The most commonly used formulations included edibles (52 percent) and oils (47 percent). Cannabis information was most often gleaned from internet searches (46 percent) or family and friends (34 percent).

“Our study confirmed that a large percentage of midlife women are using cannabis for symptoms that overlap with menopause, especially those women who reported more symptoms,” Babyn said in a statement. “In addition, many of these women are claiming to get relief for their symptoms through the use of cannabis.”