Minneapolis cancer survivor creates JANE, low-dose cannabis products for women

MINNEAPOLIS — It's not just for young people. More middle-aged women are turning to cannabis to manage menopause symptoms.

Nearly 80% of the mid-life women Harvard University surveyed in 2022 said it helped relieve symptoms like mood swings and sleeping problems. 

Menopause is something most women experience but often battle alone. 

"We just need more options," Minneapolis resident Crystal Brown said.

It's why Brown turned to cannabis and discovered JANE.

"As we get older, we have all of these issues that are harder to deal with, so I designed the whole line for what women go through and what we need help with," JANE Founder and CEO Michelle Courtright said.

Courtright's products, mostly tinctures, contain low doses of THC and CBD, each formulated with different cannabinoids to tackle each need.

"They're droplets and so they just go under your tongue so you hold them there for about 30 seconds and then you feel the effects in about 15 to 20 minutes," she said. 

The purse-sized products cover a range of needs from pain, sleep and menopause to cancer, something near to Courtright's heart. 

"In 2017, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through that... And the medication to help with the nausea from the chemo was actually making me more sick," she said.

Courtright found relief with medical cannabis. Now, after five years in remission, she aims to help other women. 

"It really helped. I mean, it was one of the only things that worked," she said.

Zelda Curti tried her products recently and said she was pleasantly surprised by how it made her feel more relaxed without the feeling of being high.

"I just felt super relaxed and calm and when you're in menopause, you get a little agitated all the time," Curti said. 

While there's still a lack of menopause research, the women say cannabis has been a life-changing alternative to traditional medicine.

"The experience has been wonderful and actually kind of transformative," Brown said.

"What I'm hoping with micro-dosing cannabis is that women learn it's in their hands. They have a lot of control," Courtright said. 

Courtright said all JANE products are tested and produced locally from Minnesota hemp. Prices range from $29 to $49.