Chemicals within cannabis have powerful antioxidant properties, and scientists believe this can protect the brain from damage. Too much alcohol can lead to permanent brain damage, among other things. A study concluded that a chemical in marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD) could be used to prevent alcohol-induced brain damage. The study was published in September of 2013 in the journal Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior.
Fortunately, there's a more natural alternative to Midol for alleviating horrific period cramps: Tetrahydrocannibol (THC), the main compound in marijuana, has been found to alleviate nausea, bloating and headaches, all symptoms associated with premenstrual pain.
For the 10% of women who suffer from debilitating dysmenorrhea — cramps so painful that they interfere with daily life functioning — smoking pot can be a natural (and some say more effective) alternative to prescription medication. According to data from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, women are twice as likely to suffer from generalized anxiety disorder as men. So it makes sense that women would be self-medicating to treat their anxiety by smoking weed.
A study in Trends in Pharmalogical Sciences showed that the most common self-reported reason for using cannabis is "rooted in its ability to reduce feelings of stress, tension, and anxiety." A 2014 study from Vanderbilt University confirms that smoking weed can actually alleviate symptoms of anxiety: Researchers identified cannibanoid receptors in the amygdala, the area of the brain that regulates anxiety and the fight-or-flight response.