There's a quiet shift happening in kitchens, book clubs, and group chats across the country. The woman who used to pour a glass of pinot at 5 p.m. is reaching for something different — a sparkling, low-dose THC drink that takes the edge off without the wine headache, the 3 a.m. wake-up, or the next-morning fog.
And it's not just about winding down. Women are increasingly exploring cannabis through the lens of their own health: the hormonal rollercoaster of perimenopause, the monthly grind of PMS and cramps, and the simple desire to feel present — not buzzed, not hungover — through the busiest seasons of life.
As a woman-founded hemp beverage company, this conversation is personal to us. 23rd State was built by women who wanted a better option than what the wine aisle was offering. So let's dig into what the research actually says about cannabis and women's health — from menopause to menstrual cramps to mom life — and how low-dose THC drinks fit into the picture.
A quick note before we begin: nothing here is medical advice. Cannabis research in women's health is promising but still early, and hemp-derived THC products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms — especially if you take medications.
Why Women's Health and Cannabis Are Finally Being Studied Together
For decades, cannabis research largely overlooked women. Clinical studies skewed male, and questions specific to hormones, menstruation, and menopause went mostly unasked. That's changing — fast.
Here's why the connection makes biological sense: your body runs on something called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of receptors and signaling molecules that helps regulate pain, mood, sleep, inflammation, and — notably — the female reproductive system. Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the uterus and reproductive tissues, and researchers have documented the ECS's role in everything from menstrual cycle regulation to uterine muscle relaxation. A peer-reviewed 2022 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences explored exactly this — whether medicinal cannabis could bring new options to the enormous number of women worldwide living with menstrual pain.
THC and other plant cannabinoids like CBG interact with this same system. That's the mechanism behind why so many women report reaching for cannabis during hormonal transitions — and why scientists are now designing studies to test whether those reported benefits hold up under clinical scrutiny.
If you're new to how cannabinoids work in the body, our guide to how cannabinoids work is a great primer before you read on.
Cannabis and Menopause: What Women Are Reporting
If you're in your 40s or 50s and wondering whether you're the only one Googling "cannabis and menopause" at 2 a.m. (thanks, night sweats), you are very much not alone.
A survey published in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society, found that a striking majority of perimenopausal and postmenopausal respondents who used medical cannabis were doing so specifically for menopause-related symptoms — most commonly sleep disturbances and mood or anxiety changes. Perimenopausal women, who often experience the most intense symptom fluctuations, reported the heaviest reliance on cannabis for relief.
A separate cross-sectional survey of women aged 35 and over in Alberta, Canada — one of the largest of its kind — found that current cannabis users were taking it to manage menopause symptoms and reported finding it helpful, particularly for sleep and mood.
The symptoms driving the trend
Across studies, the same clusters come up again and again:
Sleep disruption. Night sweats and hormonal insomnia are among the most common — and most miserable — menopause symptoms. Sleep is consistently the number one reason midlife women report turning to cannabis.
Mood swings and anxiety. Estrogen fluctuations affect neurotransmitters tied to mood regulation. Many women describe low-dose THC as taking the edge off irritability without the sedation of prescription options.
Aches and general discomfort. Joint pain and body aches often ramp up during the menopause transition, and the ECS's role in pain modulation is one of the best-studied areas of cannabinoid science.
What the research doesn't say (yet)
Honesty matters here. Researchers are careful to note that most current data is self-reported survey data, not placebo-controlled clinical trials. The Menopause Society has emphasized that more research is needed before cannabis can be clinically recommended for menopause symptoms. What we can say: a lot of women are already using it, they're reporting benefit, and science is racing to catch up.
If you're menopausal and canna-curious, the smart play is the same one we recommend to every beginner: start with a low dose (think 2–5mg), go slow, and track how you feel. Our step-by-step cannabis routine for beginners walks through exactly how to build that ritual — and if you take any medications, read up on THC drinks and medications and loop in your doctor first. This matters doubly in midlife, when prescriptions for blood pressure, hormones, or sleep are common.
THC and PMS: Can Cannabis Help with Cramps?
Let's talk about the monthly visitor. Dysmenorrhea — the clinical term for painful menstrual cramps — affects the vast majority of people who menstruate at some point, and for many it's severe enough to disrupt work, sleep, and daily life. The standard toolkit (ibuprofen, heating pads, hormonal birth control) doesn't work for everyone.
Here's where the endocannabinoid system gets really interesting. Cramps happen when prostaglandins trigger strong uterine muscle contractions, temporarily reducing blood flow and causing that deep, radiating ache. Research has found that CB1 cannabinoid receptors — the same receptors THC activates — play a role in uterine muscle relaxation, making the ECS a legitimate scientific target for menstrual pain relief. The 2022 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences laid out this mechanism in detail and called for larger clinical trials.
Even the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has weighed in, publishing clinical guidance acknowledging that many patients are using cannabis products for gynecologic pain and advising clinicians to be prepared to discuss both the theoretical benefits rooted in the endocannabinoid pathway and the current limits of the data.
Why a drink instead of a gummy or a joint?
For PMS specifically, THC beverages have a few practical advantages:
Faster, more predictable onset. Because drinks like ours use nano-emulsified, water-soluble THC, effects typically arrive in 15–30 minutes rather than the 1–2 hour lottery of traditional edibles. When cramps hit, you don't want to wait 90 minutes to find out if relief is coming. Curious about the science of timing? Here's how long THC drinks take to kick in.
Precise, low dosing. Cramps call for taking the edge off, not getting couch-locked. A 10mg can split over an evening — or a 2.5–5mg pour — lets you find your minimum effective dose. Our guide to microdosing THC explains why less is often more.
The comfort ritual, upgraded. There's a reason "wine and a heating pad" became the PMS cliché. A cold, sparkling Fresh Press — crisp pear cider with 10mg THC and 10mg CBG — delivers the ritual and the wind-down without alcohol's inflammatory effects, which can actually worsen cramps and bloating for many women.
The CBG bonus. Every 23rd State beverage pairs THC with CBG, a minor cannabinoid being studied for its interaction with inflammation pathways. Learn more in our beginner's guide to CBG.
Again — promising mechanisms and widespread self-reported use, but clinical trials are still catching up. If your period pain is severe or worsening, that's a conversation for your OB-GYN, because it can signal underlying conditions like endometriosis that deserve real diagnosis and treatment.
The Wine Mom Rethink: THC Drinks for Moms
"Mommy needs her wine." It's on cutting boards, coffee mugs, and roughly ten thousand Instagram memes. Wine mom culture told a generation of women that the acceptable release valve for the chaos of modern motherhood was a nightly glass (or three) of chardonnay.
But the joke has been wearing thin — and the science explains why. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol use and misuse among women are rising, and women face alcohol-related health problems sooner and at lower drinking levels than men, including elevated breast cancer risk at even moderate consumption. That nightly pour also fragments sleep, amplifies next-day anxiety (hello, "hangxiety"), and — for moms especially — makes the 6 a.m. wake-up call feel like a punishment.
So what does the modern alternative look like? For a growing number of moms, it's a low-dose THC drink: the same end-of-day ritual, the same social glass-in-hand at the backyard barbecue, without the alcohol.
Why moms are making the swap
No hangover, no hangxiety. Low-dose THC drinks wear off within a few hours and don't produce alcohol's rebound wakefulness or morning-after dread. You can unwind at 8 p.m. and still be a functional human at soccer practice by 9 a.m. We break down the difference in our post on the THC drink hangover vs. alcohol hangover.
Fewer calories, less sugar. A glass of wine runs 120–150 calories; many THC beverages, including ours, are built as low-sugar options.
Staying present. This is the one moms tell us about most. At 2.5–5mg, most people describe a gentle lift — relaxed, a little brighter, fully coherent. You're still you. You can still help with homework, hear the baby monitor, and remember the conversation you had at book club.
The data backs the vibe. In the MoreBetter Real-World Infused Beverage Study — the largest real-world study of THC drinks to date, in which 23rd State products were independently evaluated — 77.4% of adults said their THC drink was safer than alcohol when it came to social consequences. We unpack the numbers in "Family-Friendly" by the Numbers.
Responsible is the whole point
Let's be clear about what "THC drinks for moms" means — and what it doesn't. These are adult beverages for adults 21+, full stop. Store them securely and out of reach of kids (they look like fun sparkling drinks because they are — to you). Never drive after consuming. And swapping one crutch for another isn't the goal; mindful, occasional, low-dose enjoyment is. If you're exploring the sober curious path or a damp lifestyle, THC beverages are a tool for drinking less alcohol — not an invitation to overdo something else.
How to Choose a THC Drink for Women's Wellness
Ready to explore? Here's the woman-to-woman buying guide:
Start with the milligrams. If you're new, look for products where a low dose is easy to control. Fresh Press and Blush Crush each contain 10mg THC + 10mg CBG — easy to split into halves or quarters over ice. SHAKE edible glitter drops let you add a precise 3mg dose (and genuinely gorgeous shimmer) to any mocktail.
Look for nano-emulsification. Water-soluble THC means faster onset and more predictable timing — critical for finding your dose without accidental overshoot.
Demand lab testing. Every batch we make is third-party tested, with COAs published here. Any brand that won't show you a certificate of analysis doesn't deserve your money.
Choose brands that invest in evidence. We're proud that our beverages were part of independent, real-world research through the MoreBetter study — because women's wellness deserves more than marketing claims.
Know your body's context. Cycle phase, hormones, medications, and even hydration can shift how THC feels. Keep notes, start low, and give each dose 30–45 minutes before deciding to sip more.
A Note on Hormones: Why Your Dose Might Not Be Her Dose
One of the most fascinating threads in emerging cannabis research is that hormones appear to influence how THC feels. Estrogen levels fluctuate across the menstrual cycle and drop through the menopause transition, and early research suggests these shifts may change cannabinoid sensitivity — meaning the dose that felt perfect last week might land differently this week.
Practically, that means women benefit even more than most from a "start low, go slow, keep notes" approach. A few tips our community swears by:
Track your dose against your cycle. If you notice 5mg feels stronger in the days before your period, that's useful data — adjust down rather than powering through.
Anchor your dose to a consistent ritual. Same time of evening, similar meal beforehand, same pour size. Consistency makes it much easier to notice what's actually changing (your hormones) versus what you changed (an empty stomach, a bigger pour).
Reassess during big transitions. Perimenopause, postpartum (once you're no longer pregnant or nursing — THC is a firm no during both), or starting or stopping hormonal birth control or hormone therapy are all moments to reset to a lower dose and re-titrate.
Pair it with the boring-but-effective stuff. Hydration, magnesium, movement, and sleep hygiene aren't glamorous, but cannabinoids work best as one tool in a fuller wellness toolkit — not a replacement for it.
This is also why beverages have become the format of choice for so many women: a can is inherently divisible in a way a gummy or a pre-roll isn't. Pour a third, wait, reassess. Your endocannabinoid system will thank you for the patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis help with menopause symptoms like hot flashes and insomnia? Survey research shows many perimenopausal and postmenopausal women report using cannabis for sleep and mood symptoms and finding it helpful, but placebo-controlled trials are still limited. Talk to your provider, especially if you use hormone therapy or other medications.
Do THC drinks help with period cramps? The endocannabinoid system plays a documented role in uterine muscle relaxation and pain signaling, which is why researchers consider cannabinoids a promising area for menstrual pain — but clinical evidence is still developing. Many women report that a low-dose THC drink helps them relax through cramp days.
How much THC should a beginner take? Start with 2.5–5mg — half a can or less of a 10mg beverage — and wait at least 30–45 minutes. You can always sip more; you can't sip less.
Are THC drinks safer than wine for moms? They're alcohol-free, hangover-free, and lower-calorie, and in real-world research most adults rated THC drinks as having fewer social consequences than alcohol. That said, they're intoxicating products for adults 21+: never drive after consuming, and always store them away from children.
Are hemp-derived THC drinks legal? 23rd State beverages are made with hemp-derived THC compliant with federal law and Minnesota state regulations. Laws vary by state and continue to evolve, so check your local rules.
The Bottom Line
Women deserve wellness options built around their actual lives — the hormonal transitions, the monthly realities, the beautiful chaos of raising humans. The research on cannabis and women's health is young, but it's growing fast, and it's finally asking the right questions.
In the meantime, the swap thousands of women are already making is simple: less wine, more presence. A drink that tastes like a celebration and feels like relief, from a company founded by women who wanted exactly that.
Find your new ritual. Explore Fresh Press, Blush Crush, and SHAKE, or find 23rd State near you.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For adults 21+ only. Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if you take medications or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive or operate machinery after use.
