Cannabis and Menstrual Cramps | Westword

Dear Stoner: Would cannabis help with pain from menstrual cramps? I smoke weed sometimes, but wondered if CBD or edibles might help.
Tisha

Dear Tisha: Using cannabis extractions for menstrual cramp relief dates back to Queen Victoria, but the supporting science is still hazy. Menstrual cramps are triggered by prostaglandins, which are inflammatory compounds that affect pain receptors in the brain and body tissue. Anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can bind to those pain receptors to block the inflammatory compounds, but THC and CBD are believed to target neuropathic and joint pain, and don’t have any direct effect on cramping pain. Tinctures, bath soaks and suppositories intended for cramping are all out there, however, and women have been learning through experience.