Pubdate: Thu, 07 Apr 2016
Source: North Coast Journal (Arcata, CA)
Column: The Week in Weed
Copyright: 2016 North Coast Journal
Contact:  http://www.northcoastjournal.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2833
Author: Linda Stansberry

CBDS GO THERE. DOWN THERE

Every drug, yes, every drug, from alcohol as a rudimentary anesthetic 
to methamphetamine as a weight loss supplement, has medicinal 
applications. Cannabis retains a strange space in our medical 
landscape: Centuries of anecdote reinforce its therapeutic worth, yet 
in the United States it's still federally classified as having no 
medical value.

Because of its legal status, it has been woefully under-researched, 
yet 23 states have medical marijuana laws on the books.

The conditions for which medical marijuana can be prescribed vary 
from state to state.

Some, like Florida and Kentucky, allow only cannabidiol (CBD) for 
specific conditions such as epilepsy, and others, like California, 
condone a toke to treat any condition "deemed appropriate ... by a 
physician." In the vacuum created between the general loosening of 
social and legal mores against cannabis and its inevitable 
legalization and commercialization, a plethora of companies have 
sprung up touting techniques to help sufferers get the most out of 
cannabis' unique chemical profile.

Some have firm scientific evidence on their side, others seem 
designed to exploit the desires of the already-stoned (medicinal 
marijuana pizza sauce, anyone?). Which leads to the most pressing 
question of this brave, new age: Should we shove cannabis up our vaginas?

Foria, the same company that brought us sensual cannabis-enhanced 
lubricant in 2014 ("Stoned Yoni," June 26, 2014), rolled out its new 
line of organic suppositories aimed at relieving the pain of menstrual cramps.

The suppositories, branded as "Foria Relief," are comprised of CBD, 
THC and organic cocoa butter.

According to Foria's website, the THC and CBD are "known to relax 
muscles and release tension and cramping in the body. Through the use 
of a suppository these antispasmodic and pain relieving properties go 
directly to the area in need of relief.

The plant medicine works with your body to gently, yet profoundly, 
shift your unique experience in a holistic and natural way."

The "plant medicine" is currently retailing at $44 for a four-pack 
and is available only in California dispensaries, but should be 
coming to Colorado soon. To its credit, Foria Relief was developed by 
a real live doctor, Beverly Hills urologist Jennifer Berman, who 
cited a reduction in pelvic pain as a side effect of patients using 
Foria Pleasure. To its potential discredit, and to nobody's surprise, 
the majority of people extolling its virtues are already on the 
canna-bandwagon, mostly writers for cannabis-related blogs and 
websites. One reviewer who suffered from debilitating cramps around 
that time of the month described the effect thusly: "warm, golden 
waves emanated from my vagina throughout the rest of my body." Of 
course that could have been heightened by the edible she ate prior to 
lifting her hips and inserting the relief pellet. (By the way, the 
makers suggest you freeze the suppositories first, as cocoa butter 
can be a little slippery.)

Foria is not the only company getting into the lucrative 
pain-relief-for-the-roughly-half-the-world-with-uteruses market. 
Whoopi Goldberg's new company, Whoopi & Maya, launched its own line 
of cannabis-based edibles and bath products last week. Goldberg has 
apparently treated her own menstrual cramps with weed for a long 
time, and reportage around this issue breathlessly cites how Queen 
Victoria was prescribed cannabis for her own royal cramps.

Of course, mercury, bloodletting and lobotomies were still common 
practices in Victoria's time. Science has come a long way since then, 
but evidence as to the efficacy of cannabis in making Aunt Flo less 
of a bitch - and the best way to apply said cannabis - is not yet on the table.

It should be noted that unlike Foria, which claims there are no 
psychoactive effects due to its route of transmission, some of 
Goldberg's products are intended to be taken orally, so there's a 
good chance that pain relief may be conflated with just being plain ol' high.

In either case, relief is relief and if you're one of the 10 to 15 
percent of women who are completely debilitated by menstrual cramps, 
you've been evaluated for more serious conditions such as fibroids 
and endometriosis, and you're tired of popping Tylenol, why not try 
sticking a frozen wad of cocoa butter infused with an unregulated 
amount of herbal extract into your vagina?

Plenty of things women should definitely not be inserting into their 
hoo-hahs, such as douches both literal and metaphorical, don't come 
with an FDA warning label either.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom