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.
Women experiencing menopause, gynecologists, primary care providers, and medical cannabis researchers.
79% of menopausal cannabis users targeted menopause symptoms
What the researchers 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.
Why it 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 numbers in context
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 the study worked
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.
What this study cannot 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.
How to read the evidence
Self-selected survey of cannabis users. Descriptive data without efficacy assessment.
When this study was published
Published in 2022.
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.
Questions still open
- 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?
Common questions
Are women using cannabis for menopause?
Is perimenopause or postmenopause worse for cannabis-targeted symptoms?
Read the original research
A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause.
Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 29(9), 1028-1036
Citation
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
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