Survey of 258 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women finds 79% using cannabis for menopause symptoms, especially sleep and anxiety
Among 258 perimenopausal and postmenopausal cannabis users, 79% used cannabis for menopause symptoms, most commonly sleep disturbance (67%) and mood/anxiety (46%), with perimenopausal women reporting worse symptoms and greater cannabis use for anxiety.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
86.1% reported current cannabis use and 78.7% used it for menopause symptoms. Top symptoms targeted: sleep disturbance (67.4%) and mood/anxiety (46.1%). Top methods: smoking (84.3%) and edibles (78.3%). Perimenopausal women had significantly worse vasomotor and psychosocial symptoms, more depression and anxiety diagnoses, and used more cannabis for mood/anxiety compared to postmenopausal women.
Key Numbers
258 participants; 78.7% used cannabis for menopause symptoms; 67.4% for sleep; 46.1% for mood/anxiety; 84.3% smoked; 78.3% used edibles. Perimenopausal women had worse anxiety (p=0.01) and hot flashes (p=0.04).
How They Did This
Survey of 258 participants (131 perimenopausal, 127 postmenopausal) assessing menopause-related symptoms, cannabis use patterns, modes of use, and specific menopause symptoms targeted by cannabis.
Why This Research Matters
Menopause affects virtually all women, and many are turning to cannabis for symptom relief in the absence of robust evidence. Understanding these use patterns is essential for informed clinical conversations.
The Bigger Picture
As both cannabis access and reluctance to use hormone replacement therapy increase, cannabis may be filling a treatment gap for menopause symptoms, particularly for women who prefer plant-based or non-hormonal options.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-selected sample of cannabis users (not generalizable to all menopausal women). No outcome data on efficacy. Cross-sectional design. No comparison to non-cannabis-using menopausal women. Self-reported diagnoses.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis actually improve menopause symptoms or are users experiencing placebo effects?
- ?Would CBD-specific products work better for certain symptoms?
- ?Should menopause be a qualifying condition for medical cannabis programs?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 79% of menopausal cannabis users targeted menopause symptoms
- Evidence Grade:
- Self-selected survey of cannabis users. Descriptive data without efficacy assessment.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause.
- Published In:
- Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 29(9), 1028-1036 (2022)
- Authors:
- Dahlgren, M Kathryn(2), El-Abboud, Celine(3), Lambros, Ashley M(5), Sagar, Kelly A, Smith, Rosemary T, Gruber, Staci A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03783
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are women using cannabis for menopause?
Yes. In this survey of 258 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who used cannabis, 79% specifically used it for menopause symptoms, most commonly sleep disturbance (67%) and mood/anxiety (46%).
Is perimenopause or postmenopause worse for cannabis-targeted symptoms?
Perimenopausal women reported significantly worse vasomotor symptoms (like hot flashes), more anxiety and depression, and greater use of cannabis specifically for mood/anxiety symptoms compared to postmenopausal women.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03783APA
Dahlgren, M Kathryn; El-Abboud, Celine; Lambros, Ashley M; Sagar, Kelly A; Smith, Rosemary T; Gruber, Staci A. (2022). A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause.. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 29(9), 1028-1036. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002018
MLA
Dahlgren, M Kathryn, et al. "A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause.." Menopause (New York, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002018
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and po..." RTHC-03783. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/dahlgren-2022-a-survey-of-medical
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.