Any woman who has ever suffered through menstrual cramps knows that when the pain comes, it can be absolutely debilitating. Women welcome any form of relief, and the cannabis industry has come up with an innovative new way to help women during that time of the month, cannabis tampons.

Cannabis tampons might sound wild, but women have raved about how effectively they help manage pain.

The product works like a medical suppository with a design aimed at relieving women of even the most intense menstrual cramps.

How Does a Cannabis Tampon Work?

First, cannabis tampons actually do not do the same job as traditional tampons, despite the nickname. While used vaginally, this product relieves menstrual pain and bloating and does not function as a sanitary product.

Cannabis suppositories include THC oil, organic cocoa butter and CBD Isolate, a cannabinoid that does not contain the psychoactive elements that produce a high feeling. They offer relief for menstrual pain without making women feel the psychotropic high.

The design of cannabis suppositories allows use with traditional tampons. Women should insert the cannabis suppository first and allow it to absorb for 15 minutes before putting in a traditional tampon.

The medication gets absorbed through the vaginal wall and makes its way into the woman’s bloodstream. The cannabinoids relax muscles and allow the nerves in the cervix, ovaries and uterus to block the menstrual pain.

Contractions of the uterus cause menstrual cramps, with muscles going into spasm and inflammatory mediators causing the pain. Beverly Hills urologist Jennifer Berman explained the process in an article on Broadly, a female-centered channel of Vice.

“Cannabis, in general, works to relieve muscle spasms by increasing blood flow and decreasing muscle contractions,” Berman said. “When you increase blood flow, you help to restore oxygenation to the tissue, thereby decreasing inflammation and lessening discomfort.”

What are Women Saying?

Marijuana users have long sought menstrual relief through cannabis. But cannabis suppositories have exposed a larger market of patients to the idea.

In the Broadly article, the writer tried a cannabis suppository for the first time. She said that her cramps totally disappeared and that the relief lasted longer than traditional pain relievers.

Other women reportedly had similarly good results. Even users with conditions that make menstrual cramps more painful, like endometriosis, report positive results after using the product.

Where Are Cannabis Tampons Available?

Like other medical marijuana products, cannabis suppositories require a prescription or a doctor’s note. The federal government still considers marijuana illegal, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not reviewed the product.

Foria, the brand that created the suppositories, currently only offers the product in California and Colorado, though the company’s website says “we are working hard to make Foria available wherever cannabis infused products are available by state law.”