Are women more sensitive to THC?

Alcohol is no different, but does marijuana have a different effect on women?

Although we can put people into general categories – men, women, Indians, left-handed – everyone is a little different… and some categories are different from others. So are women more sensitive to THC in cannabis? Women and men react differently to alcohol, some South Asians react differently to alcohol than North Americans… so what about cannabis?

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Science shows that biological differences in body structure and chemistry cause most women to absorb more alcohol and take longer to metabolize it. After consuming the same amount of alcohol, women tend to have higher blood alcohol levels than men, and the immediate effects of alcohol usually occur more quickly and last longer in women than in men.

While more studies need to be conducted, current studies show that women are more sensitive to THC than men. This means that they react more strongly to less THC, much like with alcohol.

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A study published in the journal Psychopharmacology found that women who had used less cannabis had lower levels of THC in their blood, but still experienced the same acute effects as men. The most important finding is that women may need a smaller dose of THC to achieve the same level of intoxication as men. Women tend to develop tolerance and dependence more quickly than men after starting regular cannabis use.

One theory the researchers have is that estrogen, a primarily female hormone, may affect THC metabolism. Estrogen levels may be responsible for the differences found in the study and the reactions women experience when consuming THC.

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Most studies are based on male participants, so the data may not be applicable to women.” Historically, the subjects in animal and human studies throughout science have been male. Researchers have claimed that it is too difficult to control the fluctuating hormones in the female body. It is important for doctors and scientists to recognize that previous studies have excluded women, biasing our understanding of medicine toward men. Since women make up 50% of the population, this is a critical data point.