After Uruguay, Canada has become the second and largest nation to legalize recreational cannabis use on October 17. Thousands of people were trying to sign up on the online government websites as well as hundreds who lined up outside of fully stocked dispensaries as soon as their time zones hit midnight.

So, like millions of Canadians, tonight, I legally went to sleep high. I slept great, and everything was bliss: Think of the scene from 22 Jumpstreet where Channing Tatum is in candy-land having the best trip of his life – that was me. I woke up in the morning to find out that I got my period to which I must remember to say thank you to momma nature for both of her gifts today – love you, sis. I’m sure many of you can relate when I say period cramps are deadly. I remember when I was in high school, my period was literally the easiest thing to deal with, aside from the bleeding, of course. I never used to get cramps; it would not disrupt my daily activities how it does now. Now, from the waking moment of getting my period, all I can focus on is the immense pressure radiating everywhere from and in my uterus. The only things that give me temporary relief are chocolate and chamomile tea, and then after a while, the pain comes shooting back tenfold. I’ve tried Midol and other forms of medication, but nothing seems to work effectively enough to ease the muscle tension and anxiety that menstruating brings.

I’ve been sitting here all afternoon on my university database, researching factual evidence to support my loose claim that marijuana helps ease menstrual pain. I found some articles, but there was one that stood out amongst the rest- Cramps suck. Could weed be the cure? By Virginia Pelley. In her article, Pelley touches on the reality behind cannabis as a pain soother and how it has inspired a rise in cannabis-infused menstrual products (aka weed tampons). Pelley references MD J. Hampton Atkinson of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research when saying that the “compounds CBD and THC activate receptors in the central nervous system, immune system, and uterus helping to suppress inflammation and stop pain messages from hitting the brain” Now keep in mind this is just one short study, there are dozens of articles, and other resources if you do your research on the topic. Of course, before trying anything to ease menstrual pain, consult with your doctor.

Let’s talk about it openly. Aside from the taboo, cannabis is a medicinal treatment method as it has been for centuries. The South Asian community I am a part of is terrified of marijuana. They are convinced it will become yet another drug the boys and men will get addicted to, so obviously it is up to the women to keep this from happening by starting gross rumors, judging you and more aunty behavior – omg I just looked up at my clock, and it says 4:20 LOL, PUFF PUFF AUNTY. Upon proper research and confirmation, cannabis could prove to be an effective treatment method in the South Asian community for some of the physical and mental pains that plague the community. However, because it is essentially a drug, it is considered to be another forbidden apple on the tree of things we are not allowed to be doing or talking about.

I’ll probably get judged for writing this article too because we just don’t fucking talk about things like this, we’re not supposed to. All I’m saying is that my periods are hell – as women, we’ll try all sorts of methods to ease the pain. And I, for one, will gladly try to pot my pain away.

References

Pelley, V. (2017, January). Cramps Suck. Could Weed Be the Cure?. Cosmopolitan, 102-0107.