By Middle-aged Canadian women are increasingly turning to cannabis to alleviate menopause-related symptoms, according to a newly published paper. research.
investigation The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta, aimed to “explore cannabis use patterns and perceptions for menopause among women aged 35 and over in Alberta, Canada.”
Canada legalized medical cannabis in 2001 and recreational cannabis in 2018. According to study authors, cannabis for medical use has increased in Canada since it became legal for adult use in 2018.
The researchers used a sample of 1,485 responses from women recruited through social media.
“Of the respondents analyzed, 499 (34%) women reported current cannabis use, and 978 (66%) reported ever using cannabis. Current cannabis use. Of the 499 participants, more than 75% had used cannabis for medical purposes, with the most common reasons for current use being sleep (65%), anxiety (45%), and muscle/joint pain (33%). %) 74% of current users said cannabis helped their symptoms Current cannabis users reported experiencing menopausal symptoms more than non-users Smoking history and general health conditions were associated with current cannabis use,” the researchers said. I have written in their analysis.
The researchers concluded that “a subset of women use cannabis for symptoms related to menopause” and “assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis in managing menopause, and Additional research is needed to develop clinical resources for women on menopause.” ”
The findings are consistent with previous research highlighting the benefits of marijuana for people coping with menopause.
In 2020, researchers from the San Francisco VA Health Care System released findings showing that more than a quarter of the women surveyed reported using medical cannabis for menopause. bottom. Although the study was based on a distinctly smaller sample size (only 232 female veterans from Northern California) than the Canadian study, researchers from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health System still found it useful as a treatment for menopause. Revealed that marijuana use may be more widespread than before. understood.
Carolyn Gibson, a researcher at the San Francisco VA Health Care System and the study’s lead author, said the study’s findings suggest that “using cannabis to manage menopausal symptoms is relatively common. “It suggests a possibility,” but the researchers said they still “don’t know if cannabis will be used.” Whether it is safe to use, effective in managing menopausal symptoms, or whether women are discussing these decisions with their health care providers, especially in the VA, cannabis is considered an illegal drug under federal guidelines. there is ”
“This information is important for health care providers and more research is needed in this area,” Gibson said.
Although their study boasted a strong sample, the University of Alberta researchers still cautioned against their own findings.
“This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. Generalization to all women over the age of 12 may be limited Given that this is an unrestricted self-selected survey of women with access to social media platforms, estimating the population of this study This was an exploratory study designed to inform further studies, including the next qualitative phase of this mixed-method study. It is not representative of the entire population of women over the age of 35, except I have written.
Nonetheless, the study “established women using cannabis for transitional symptoms.”
