Women and Cannabis: A Love Story Throughout the Ages

It’s no secret that cannabis has been used for thousands of years throughout the world for medicinal purposes of all sorts. But did you know women specifically and cannabis have a long history together?

From Mayan women who took baths with cannabis for menstrual relief, to the nineteenth century where cannabis was listed as a medicinal aid in the Dispensary of the United States for labor contractions, women have known what’s up when seeking pain relief.

With March being International Women’s Month, we wanted to highlight a few famous women in world history who were believed to have regularly used cannabis, and one very special lady currently making history in the cannabis industry.

Hatsheput (1507-1458 BC)

Hatsheput was one of the few female pharaohs ever to have ruled over Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians used cannabis for many different ailments and medical uses, including mixing the herb with honey as a topical to ease birthing pains. So it’s not hard to believe Hatsheput could have also been a regular user. She also reportedly used hemp to manage menstrual cramps.

Hildegard Von Gingen (1098-1171)

Hildegard von Gingen was a German nun and saint who lived during the Middle Ages. She was a writer, composer, philosopher, and polymath who also had a great deal of knowledge of herbal medicine. In her medical writing Physica, she discusses many uses for hemp, including reducing “head pains” from eating the herb. Her work also states that “a towel prepared out of hemp laid upon sores and wounds works well since warmth is contained within it.” During her time, European women were also known to have used cannabis ointment to reduce painful breast swelling from premenstrual symptoms.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

The Victorian Era is known for being quite prude, so it’s particularly amusing to learn that Queen Victoria allegedly used cannabis tinctures provided by her physician to help ease menstrual cramps. One of the queen’s household physicians, Sir J. Russell Reynolds, in 1890 wrote, “when pure and administered carefully, [cannabis] is one of the most valuable medicines we possess”.

Margaret Mead (1901-1978)

Margaret Mead was a famous anthropologist who took a controversial stance on marijuana later in her life. In 1969 she gave a testament to the US Senate, articulating so well that,

“It is my considered opinion that at present that marihuana is not harmful unless it is taken in enormous and excessive amounts. I believe that we are damaging this country, damaging our law, our whole law enforcement situation, damaging the trust between the older people and younger people by its prohibition, and this is far more serious than any damage that might be done to a few over users because you can get damage from any kind of overuse.”

She was before her time and her words were met with intense criticism and unfortunately, the war on drugs only got worse after her death in 1978.

Wanda James

Wanda James is a modern-day woman currently making history in the cannabis industry. Not only is she a leading advocate for cannabis, but she and her husband were the first African Americans to own a cannabis dispensary in the United States. To make her even cooler, she is also a Navy vet, has managed congressional campaigns, and even worked on Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee. She was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis by High Times magazine in 2018. She continues to advocate for cannabis reform through several mediums.