As various U.S. states push to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, Colorado and Washington are already testing the waters with alternative ways to use cannabis, such as incorporating it into therapeutic massage products and services. In Colorado, LoDo Massage & Private Yoga Studio (Denver) offers the Mile High Massage ($65, 60 minutes; $95, 90 minutes; $130, 2 hours), which features Apothecanna’s Pain Creme, which is infused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) as well as arnica, juniper, and peppermint. THC and CBD are both compounds found in cannabis thought to have medicinal benefits. THC, however, is responsible for delivering the euphoric high most often associated with marijuana use. No need to worry about your clients or staff flying high though, as topical applications don’t produce the same psychoactive effects as smoking or ingesting it. Instead, the focus is on providing a natural approach to healing and relieving pain. “The THC- and CBD-infused lotion that we use helps to not only relieve pain immediately to the area that it is applied but it also helps the therapist to work deeper without as much discomfort to our client,” says the spa’s operations manager Alexi Atkins. “The anti-inflammatory properties are a huge aid, as well.”
Mary Jane’s Medicinals, based in Colorado, is another popular cannabis-infused product line. Former massage therapist Dahlia Mertens created the line after using cannabis oil on some of her clients and hearing their positive feedback. From Body & Massage Oil to Heavenly Hash Bath, the line blends organic cannabis with rich plant oils and healing herbs. The alcohol-based Cannabis/Arnica Infusion, the company’s latest debut, pairs arnica and cannabis together to reduce the healing time of injuries. According to Mertens, it also works well on blemishes. In Seattle, therapists can treat spa-goers with Cannabis Basics’s XXX Body Rescue Balm, The Remedy Pain Stick, and more. While spas aren’t yet able to retail such products, they are using them to treat clients.
In states where it is not yet legal for recreational use, spas are still getting in on the action. For example, MD Medical Spa and Wellness Center (Norwell, MA) and Allure Cosmetic Laser Center (Las Vegas) offer medical marijuana evaluations by on-staff doctors. For Apothecanna products: www.apothecanna.com. For Cannabis Basics: www.cannabiscreationsbody.com. For Mary Jane’s Medicinals products: www.maryjanesmedicinals.com.