While cannabis has historically been more popular with younger groups, a growing number of older adults are turning to the drug for a variety of reasons — but are the potential benefits worth the risk?
A recent poll by the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that among people 50 years of age and older, around 21% said they have used a form of cannabis that contains the psychoactive compound THC at least once in the past year, and 12% use it on a monthly basis.
Dr. Barbara Krantz, medical director of Older Adults Program, Withdrawal Management and Chronic Pain for Caron Treatment Centers in Florida, said her practice has seen a “significant uptick” in the use of cannabis by individuals over the age of 50.
“In our patient population at Caron, nearly all patients in our Older Adult Program have admitted to trying cannabis in some form,” she told Fox News Digital. “So, it is very common.”
Among the older adults who use cannabis, their primary reasons were to improve sleep (68%), to reduce pain (63%), to alleviate mental health issues (53%), and to relax or feel good (81%), according to the Michigan poll.
“Most of the seniors we see report using cannabis products to manage issues such as sleep, pain, anxiety or depression, or a medical issue they’ve been struggling with,” Krantz said.
Today’s older adults are also the generation that grew up in the 60s and 70s, she noted, which means many of them may have earlier life experience with marijuana and may be more open to using it.
While many older adults may assume they are familiar with the effects of marijuana, that false sense of comfort could be dangerous, Krantz warned.
“We’re finding that the marijuana or cannabis they remember is very different from what’s available today,” she said.
“Today’s marijuana is more potent, and their bodies are less able to process it.”
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