Cannabis Suppositories: Would You Try Kush For Your Tush?

After much anticipation, Canada finally has not one, but two cannabis suppository product options. Classified as cannabis extracts, suppositories were technically allowed to be manufactured when Legalization 2.0 rolled in October 2019. However, we haven’t seen any on shelves as of October 2021.

And here they are. Bud for your butt (or beaver), Kush for your tush (or taco) — the jokes write themselves.

The question now is, are Canadian consumers ready for suppositories?

The subject can be a timid one. Suppositories are inserted vaginally or rectally, which can be a very personal endeavor.

Even as a medicinal cannabis patient and general cannabis enthusiast, I was hesitant to try my homemade suppositories. When I was finally able to buy ready-made capsules, they sat in my medicine cabinet for weeks before I finally tried them.

It can be a real mind journey, taking things to personal places. But shyness hasn’t stopped me, and if consumers are curious about suppositories or a new format of cannabis product, they should feel empowered.

Here’s the deal on cannabis suppositories in Canada (and no, they’re not called weed tampons at all).

Founders and sisters Rebecca Thomson and Olivia Penner grew up on their family farm of regenerative and sustainable agriculture for four generations. Now they’re growing a new type of crop – CBD-infused cannabis and hemp.

The sisters founded Prairie Grass, which produces cannabis flower, as well as Canada’s first-ever legal suppositories. Pods for the People comes in two formulations: Relief Pod with 10 mg THC (Bruce Banner) and Eve Pod with 40 mg CBD and 1.33 mg THC (from hemp).

“Suppositories have been in the legacy market for decades, it’s a well-known format that many people find effective,” says Penner. “We both have healthcare backgrounds so it was really exciting for us to start formulating different types of cannabis products.”

Penner is a registered nurse and Thompson is a pharmacist, which is probably why they prioritized their medical launch over the adult market. It’s not often that a manufacturer chooses a patient launch, which is a much smaller market than retail.

However, you don’t have to be a medical patient to have access to these capsules, they are also available in the adult market, increasing accessibility and affordability for all types of cannabis consumers.

What’s in the sphere?

At the time of publication, there was only one brand offering legal suppositories (although another brand plans to launch its own line of suppositories soon).

Prairie Grass Suppositories are made from cannabis grown on their family farm and combined with a pharmaceutical base to create pods. They are shaped like small balls for easier insertion and look like tiny pods.

“The base is both fat-soluble and water-soluble, so it mixes and dissolves very well with the cannabis extract,” says Thompson, explaining that the cannabis extract needs a fat-soluble formula, while vaginas and rectums prefer water-soluble ones.

“It doesn’t leave behind an oily film that you can get from bases like cocoa butter, which can be irritating on more sensitive areas,” says Penner. “Pods are designed to be compatible with these sensitive environments and can be used vaginally or rectally.”

“Start low and go slow, even at the bottom. That will be the motto for 2022.”

Ashleigh Brown, CEO of SheCann.

The suppositories themselves are individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve to prevent crushing or contamination. There is no applicator to use them, just insert them into the desired spot with your (clean) finger.

“Cannabis only reaches its full potential when grown with care, attention and love,” explains Penner. “We have the agricultural experience and the necessary understanding of science and physiology [to create the first legal suppository].”

The sisters saw a need that was unmet in the legal space, and they were inspired to “create something that can be easily and discreetly integrated into daily life when needed”.

Medical cannabis patients have been waiting forever

Is Canada Ready for Suppositories? Maybe not, but patients are.

“We’re ready for suppositories because we’ve been waiting forever,” said Ashleigh Brown, SheCann CEO and medicinal cannabis advocate.

“Most patients have tried many different methods, formats and combinations over the years and failed. So if nothing else has worked, will you be open to something that is foreign to you? Absolutely.”

Have you ever had so much discomfort that you would stick a whole syringe of cannabis oil in your vagina? Or a tube of cortisone cream? Many patients have. These might seem like hilarious anecdotes, but try to mind the kind of desperation that’s required. I assure you this is never the first resort.

Brown shares that she’s heard from SheCann members that suppositories have brought relief from conditions like spinal stenosis and nerve pain, Crohn’s disease and colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, hernia pain, and everything related to them.

These are the lived experiences of patients and invaluable to the industry. However, they in no way replace randomized clinical trials. Existing research shows that cannabinoids like THC and CBD may be helpful in treating sexual health issues in both women and men.

“The availability of legal cannabis suppositories signals to me that people are still listening to patients,” says Brown. “For years there have been many people who would have liked to try suppositories but didn’t have the energy or understanding or intention to make them.”

If you are thinking of using cannabis suppositories for medicinal purposes, always consult with your doctor or cannabinoid specialist before use.

Don’t be shy, it’s just a suppository

There is still a large group of people who do not understand suppositories as a method of administration. Brown shares that she conducted a survey of SheCann members asking about their willingness to try suppositories. 58% said yes and 28% said maybe. That’s 28% who just don’t understand why or how to use suppositories.

Brown explains that the mindset that cannabis must be smoked is a common stigma in cannabinoid therapy. It’s an evolution of experimentation from there to trying vaporizers, edibles, concentrates, etc. Suppositories are another step in the evolution of how we think about and use cannabis as a therapeutic substance.

Pods for the people! (Courtesy of Prairie Grass)

“The last thing on earth I want is for someone to feel embarrassed and that embarrassment stops them trying suppositories. If they wanted to, of course,” says Brown. “We need to get past the notion that this is somewhat taboo or belongs to a certain gender or even a certain category of issues.”

Do suppositories get me high?

Suppositories provide a targeted dose of cannabinoids in a localized area that can help facilitate higher rates of absorption in the body. Does that mean they’re gonna get you high? Probably not.

“The most appropriate and responsible answer to ‘Will this get me high’ is that we don’t know,” says Brown. “There is scientific evidence of how a baclofen suppository (a pharmaceutical muscle relaxant) works, but we have no understanding of the mechanism of action of cannabis suppositories specifically.”

According to the folks at Prairie Grass, “Each person’s endocannabinoid system is unique; While many experience no intoxicating effects upon insertion, both local and systemic effects are possible.”

Therefore, when using cannabis suppositories for the first time, it is important to do so in a safe, no-obligation environment to be sure of how you will react to the product. The old adage applies to suppositories, as it does to all cannabis products – start low and go slow.

“We cannot green wash cannabis. You can’t pretend any format is harmless,” says Brown. “Start low and go slow, even at the bottom. That is our motto for 2022 when it comes to suppositories.”

Ashley Keenan

Ashley Keenan is the Canadian Editor at Leafly and a freelance journalist, consultant and patient advocate in the cannabis industry. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @askcannaqueen for hot takes on cannabis and chronic diseases.

Check out Ashley Keenan’s articles

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