The Body Remembers: Cannabis, PTSD, and Intergenerational Trauma

At The 1937 Foundation, we believe that true healing begins with understanding. Not only of ourselves, but also of our histories, and our communities. That’s why we’re exploring how cannabis can support not just physical or emotional relief, but something deeper: the healing of intergenerational trauma. Whether passed down through genetics or cultural memory, trauma can live in the body. And for many Black and Brown communities, that trauma is centuries deep.

As the science of trauma evolves, so does our understanding of plant medicine. Cannabis is more than a recreational tool or a pain reliever. It’s becoming a key to unlocking suppressed memories and calming the nervous system. It’s also allowing survivors of trauma, both personal and inherited, to begin the work of healing from within. Let’s dive deeper.

What Is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of traumatic stress and its effects from one generation to the next. Unlike immediate trauma, which happens to a person directly, intergenerational trauma can be passed down through behaviors, beliefs, parenting styles, and even epigenetic changes. Studies on Holocaust survivors, descendants of enslaved Africans, and Indigenous communities have shown that trauma doesn’t just disappear. Over time, it adapts, evolves, and embeds itself into family systems.

For Black Americans, the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration, and systemic violence has created a chronic state of collective trauma. That pain shows up in our health, our relationships, our sleep, and even our DNA. Researchers have found that trauma can alter the way genes are expressed, predisposing future generations to anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic illness.

The Science of Trauma in the Body

Psychiatrist and trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk famously said, “The body keeps the score.” What he meant is that trauma lives on in our nervous system long after the mind has moved on. Symptoms like hypervigilance, emotional numbing, flashbacks, and sleep disturbances are all common signs of PTSD. This condition can affect those who lived through trauma as well as their descendants.

The kind of trauma we’re talking about is not only psychological. It’s somatic, meaning it lives in the body. Survivors often experience chronic muscle tension, digestive issues, or autoimmune disorders. When the nervous system is stuck in a state of fight, flight, or freeze, it becomes difficult to feel safe…even in safe environments. Healing requires more than talk therapy. It calls for tools that help regulate the body and reconnect it with the mind.

Where Cannabis Comes In

Cannabis interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is a network of receptors throughout the body that helps regulate mood, sleep, appetite, pain, and memory. The ECS plays a crucial role in maintaining balance, or homeostasis. When someone experiences trauma, this system can become dysregulated. That’s where cannabinoids like THC and CBD can make a difference.

CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and calm hyperactive nervous system responses, all of which are crucial in trauma recovery. THC, when used intentionally, may help trauma survivors access and process difficult memories that are otherwise locked away. For those suffering from PTSD, cannabis can soften the emotional charge of flashbacks, reduce nightmares, and create enough mental space to reflect without reliving.

Importantly, cannabis doesn't erase trauma. But, it can be a bridge. One that helps reconnect the mind and body, create a sense of safety, and open the door to deeper healing practices.

Personal Stories of Survival and Relief

In communities historically impacted by generational violence, cannabis is often used in silence. A mother may smoke to ease anxiety without calling it trauma relief. A veteran may use edibles to sleep through the night, but never share how his dreams are haunted by war. A young person may use cannabis to ground themselves after a panic attack that they can't explain.

These stories are not unusual. They’re common, and they deserve recognition.

Take the fictional story of Ayana, a 34-year-old from Chicago’s West Side. Her grandmother was part of the Great Migration, fleeing racial terror in Mississippi. Her mother lived through the crack epidemic and the over-policing of Black neighborhoods in the 1990s. Ayana herself has never been incarcerated, but she still flinches when she hears sirens. She doesn’t trust doctors. She suffers from insomnia and panic attacks but avoids medication. Cannabis, she says, is the only thing that makes her feel like herself.

“I didn’t realize what I was carrying,” she shares. “It wasn’t just my pain…it was theirs too.”

Cannabis helps Ayana sleep, process, and feel safe enough to go to therapy. It’s not a cure-all, but it’s a catalyst. This may be a “fictional” story, but many of this story’s details mirror the real-life experiences of countless Chicago residents today.

Cultural Stigma and the Need for Reframing

Despite its benefits, cannabis still carries stigma, especially in Black and Brown communities. Years of propaganda and criminalization have framed cannabis as a dangerous substance. People who could benefit from it are often the last to access safe, legal options. Worse, the communities most hurt by prohibition are rarely centered in conversations about healing.

It’s time to reframe cannabis not just as a wellness product, but as a tool of reparative justice. That means promoting education, access, and cultural sensitivity in how cannabis is discussed and distributed.

Healing intergenerational trauma requires more than access to therapy. It requires safe spaces, culturally informed care, and access to plant medicines that align with our ancestral wisdom.

The Role of The 1937 Foundation

At The 1937 Foundation, we’re committed to creating those safe spaces. We invest in community education, local ownership, and culturally rooted healing. Additionally, we support efforts to decriminalize cannabis, train mental health first responders, and reimagine what public health looks like in the post-prohibition era.

We believe that cannabis, when honored as medicine, can be part of a broader movement toward justice and collective recovery. It’s not about numbing pain. It’s about making space for transformation.

Moving Forward Together

Intergenerational trauma is real, but so is intergenerational healing. In the same way pain gets passed down, so can resilience. With the right tools, the right support, and the right intention, communities can begin to reclaim what was taken: peace, safety, and self-determination.

Cannabis is one piece of that puzzle. When paired with therapy, ritual, movement, and community care, it becomes more than a plant. It becomes a portal.

Let’s honor that and destigmatize healing. Let’s remember what the body already knows and build a future where we feel safe in it. To learn more about how The 1937 Foundation is building pathways to healing and equity, visit The1937Foundation.org and follow us on Instagram. Your support helps fund education, advocacy, and the next generation of community-led wellness.