Edmonton, Canada: Middle-aged women are frequently acknowledging using cannabis to treat symptoms associated with menopause, according to survey data presented at the annual meeting of The North American Menopause Society.
Investigators with the University of Alberta surveyed nearly 1,500 middle-aged Canadian women about their use of cannabis. Marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational purposes in Canada.
One-third of those surveyed acknowledged having used cannabis products within the past month. Among current users, 75 percent defined their use as medicinal and most said that cannabis successfully mitigated their menopause-related issues, including irritability, muscle and joint aches, and sleep disturbances.
“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,” the study’s lead author said in a statement. “In addition, many of these women are claiming to get relief for their symptoms through the use of cannabis.”
Data from the United States, presented at last year’s conference, reported similar results. That study reported that some 27 percent of women living in California had experience using cannabis for menopause symptom management.
A press release summarizing the 2021 survey results is available online.