An estimated 25 percent of Canadians between the ages of 55 and 65 acknowledge having consumed cannabis in the past year, according to data in the Journal of Drug Issues.
Researchers affiliated with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction analyzed cannabis use data in older adults for the four-year period immediately following legalization.
Investigators reported an uptick in self-reported marijuana use in the first year post-legalization. Use rates remained stable thereafter.
Two-thirds of older consumers reported using cannabis “to improve or manage a physical health condition,” including chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.
The study’s authors concluded: “Our findings highlight that a significant proportion of cannabis consumers in this age group, particularly women, consume cannabis to manage a physical or mental health condition. Targeted public health and clinical messaging might be beneficial for older adults, particularly around the efficacy of cannabis products for managing mental and physical health conditions as well as possible interactions with other medications.”
Survey data from the United States finds that one in five adults ages 50 and older have consumed cannabis during the past year, with over 60 percent of them acknowledging having done so to manage stress, improve sleep, or relieve pain.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis consumption among adults aged 55-65 in Canada, 2018-2021,” appears in the Journal of Drug Issues. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Cannabis Use by Older Populations.’