Cohort study, 2026
Does cannabis use vary across the menstrual cycle in people with premenstrual disorders?
Yes, the amount of cannabis used peaks before menstruation and around ovulation in people with premenstrual disorders. The pattern is stronger when emotional symptoms worsen.
What they did
People with diagnosed or suspected premenstrual disorders were followed for 2 to 3 menstrual cycles. They recorded daily cannabis use and premenstrual symptom severity each day using a standardized symptom tracker.
What they found
Daily cannabis quantity showed a pattern across the menstrual cycle, peaking before menstruation onset and around ovulation (p = 0.030). Emotional symptoms like feeling rejected and relationship problems made this pattern stronger (p = 0.004 for emotional symptoms, p = 0.010 for interpersonal conflicts). Higher-than-usual emotional symptoms were linked to more cannabis use before menstruation.
What it means for you
Cannabis use in people with premenstrual disorders tracks with the menstrual cycle and emotional symptoms. This could help inform prevention and treatment strategies. The sample size is not clearly described, which limits interpretation.
2-3
menstrual cycles tracked per person
p = 0.030
menstrual cyclicity of cannabis quantity
p = 0.004
emotional symptoms moderation effect
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cyclicity of cannabis use: a longitudinal study using phase-aligned cycle time scaling (PACTS)
- Authors
- Zorzini G, Ly M, Wahl T et al.
- Journal
- Addictive behaviors
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Cohort study
- What was tested
- Observational tracking of cannabis use and premenstrual symptoms
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2026.108866
Topics
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