Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University.
The “change of life,” as menopause is sometimes referred to, can definitely impact the lives of women experiencing this natural process of aging.
Triggered by a decline in the body’s production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, the three hormones made by the ovaries, menopause can usher in a number of disruptive symptoms as women pass through their 40s and 50s. Irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, stress, insomnia, depression, body aches, weight gain, and pain during sex are some of the common physical discomforts that menopausal women cope with.
However, there is “a very wonderful plant that can do a lot of things to help” bring relief from those symptoms — cannabis, says board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Genester Wilson-King, a practicing medical marijuana qualified physician since 2017.
Dr. Wilson-King emphasizes that treatment with cannabis doesn’t mean patients have to feel “high.” “There are ways to use cannabis so you don’t have to feel impaired,” she adds, noting that CBD can also help relieve symptoms. “You do not have to be miserable during menopause.”
Menopause isn’t a qualifying condition for medical cannabis in Florida, but its symptoms are similar to those of treatable conditions like Crohn’s, PTSD, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
Women may still find relief under a qualified physician’s care. For a list of providers and details on obtaining an identification card, head to the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use website, knowthefactsmmj.com.
Visit https://bit.ly/MMERIApril2025 to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring Dr. Genester Wilson-King discussing “Cannabis and Menopause.”
