Medical marijuana is a hot trend in Thailand, now that the government has declared it legal.  Some entrepreneur friends have even started their own medical ganja farm. How clever is that!  Not to mention a bit amazing, because these folks are the most conservative, inside-the-box, stay-in-your-lane people I know.  They would never smoke. They don’t even wear floral patterns.  But they do have good business sense.

You could call me uncool too.  I’ve never been a pot smoker, not even in college. In fact, I can’t bear the smell, so forget about inhaling.  But cannabis oil has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties and I’ve often used it to relieve muscle aches and pains, with good results.  So, when the Anantara Siam Bangkok Spa recently launched its new cannabis infused spa menu, I was intrigued.  This is the first, and only spa in Thailand offering cannabis treatments that I know so far. 

Of the three new cannabis infused spa treatments, I was recommended to try the 90-minute Restful Slumber Journey, designed to help you relax and induce deep and restful sleep. 

On arrival in the spa lobby, I was greeted with a cup of cannabis infused tea.  “Don’t worry, it’s made from the cannabis flowers, not the leaves that you smoke.” assured the receptionist, “You won’t get high. It helps you relax.” The tea had no smell and a mildly earthy, slightly bitter taste.

The Restful Slumber Journey starts with a 30-minute soak in a cannabis salt infused hot bath.  I wasn’t that keen to go from the sweltering Bangkok heat into a hot bath in the middle of the afternoon, but the sight of the elegant Maharajah-style bathing shrine lavishly sprinkled with rose petals and framed by flickering candles was fabulously enticing.  A small tray of more cannabis tea sat on the tub’s edge.

 I slid gingerly into the warm depths, and once up to my neck in rose petals and liquid heat, I surrendered to the experience. The tub was the size of a small plunge pool, and for the next half hour I was transported far from Bangkok to a white marble palace in Rajasthan.  Soulful music filled the air, gauzy white drapes billowed gently in the air-conditioned coolness, while I stared at the flickering candles. It was so romantic, even though I was alone. I tried to empty my mind, be present in the moment, and think positive thoughts. I was just getting pleasantly drowsy when a knock on the door signaled that time was up. Time for the cannabis infused massage!

From the oil selection, I chose the relaxing lavender oil infused with cannabis.  Next was the soothing deep tissue full body massage, ending with a highly satisfying head massage using nice strong pressure from the therapist’s expert thumbs.  I was told the keep the oil on my body for at least two hours to let the oil sink in before washing off.

Treatment done, I was led to a private relaxation lounge where another pot of cannabis tea awaited.  I was seriously half asleep by the time I drifted out of the spa, and had to nip into the hotel coffee shop for a quick latte to perk myself up for the drive home.  That night I slept like a log, lost in a deep sleep that I hadn’t experienced in ages. The next few days, I noticed my mood had lifted. My heavy, worried state was gone and I felt a lot lighter and a bit less anxious than before. I even continued to have more peaceful sleep for a few nights afterwards.

I later found out that various friends were using cannabis oil to help them sleep by putting a few drops under their tongue at bedtime.  If you can’t get cannabis oil, the cannabis spa treatments at Anantara Siam Spa will definitely help sort you out.  Other treatments on the menu are the Cannabis Stress Release Journey, using a cannabis infused heated herbal compress to relieve tense, knotted muscles, and the Head to Toe Calming Journey, featuring scalp massage using cannabis infused coconut oil, and foot reflexology using cannabis balm to restore the body’s natural balance. 

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Have you used cannabis oil to help you sleep or to ease muscle pain? How was your experience with cannabis oil?