A Cannabis Renaissance
The flower children who smoked doobies at Woodstock are now well into their golden years. Some never gave up on marijuana while others came back up as societal attitudes evolved and legalities changed. Adding to this cannabis renaissance is a third contingent of seniors who are now trying marijuana for the first time.
More Seniors Are Turning to Medical Marijuana
The American Association of Retired People (AARP) reports that there is a steady and ongoing increase in the use of cannabis and cannabis-based products among older adults. In 2018, about 12% of Americans over the age of 50 reported using cannabis products at least one time in the previous year. By 2024, that number jumped to 21%, which is about 1 in every 5 seniors.
Results from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging give additional insights on cannabis use by seniors. They report that adults over the age of 50 used cannabis for:
- Relaxation – 81%
- Help with sleep – 68%
- Enjoying the effects / feel good – 64%
- Help with pain relief – 63%
- Help for mental health or mood – 53%
- To treat a medical condition – 40%
- Make a social gathering more fun/connect with others – 31%
- Celebrate – 26%
- Experimentation – 18%
A survey at UC San Diego’s Medicine for Seniors Clinic found that 6 out of 10 cannabis-using patients started cannabis therapy after the age of 60, and that half of this group used some form of cannabis product on a daily or weekly basis. The survey also revealed that:
- 78% used cannabis for medical purposes
- One-third of users applied CBD-rich lotions
- One-third consumed tinctures
- 30% preferred to smoke flower
According to Christopher Kaufmann, the co-author of the study, motivations for cannabis use shift when the age threshold reaches 60 and beyond. He says that:
“Pain, insomnia, and anxiety were the most common reasons for cannabis use and, for the most part, patients reported that cannabis was helping to address these issues.”
Seniors Report Better Pain, Sleep Management
Pain relief is among medical marijuana’s strongest reported benefits. After reviewing more than 10,000 studies, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reported that there was “substantial and conclusive proof” that cannabis provided pain-relieving effects.
Another large-scale study of more than 2,700 patients over the age of 65 years of age who received medical cannabis reported that after six months of treatment:
- 94% reported improvements in pain management
- Average pain levels were reduced from 8 to 4 on a scale of 10
- About 10% reported some dizzies and 7% experienced dry mouth
- After six months, 18% stopped using opioids or reduced their dose
Arthritis and joint pain become more common with age. Reporting in the Journal of Cannabis Research shows that 80% of arthritis sufferers who started cannabis therapy with CBD products had less pain, and the benefits were greatest for those suffering from osteoarthritis – a common condition among older adults. The study also indicated that CBD users were more likely to reduce their use of pharmaceutical pain medications.
Insomnia is a common issue among older adults, affecting more than 50% of those over the age of 60. Poor sleep can have negative effects on the quality of life and create or worsen a wide range of health conditions.
In an Australian study, insomnia sufferers who took a tincture containing THC and CBD in a 2:3 ratio showed measurable improvements in both the duration and quality of sleep. In a study from Thailand, an under-the-tongue strip of CBD before bedtime helped insomnia sufferers sleep better and longer, reduced daytime sleepiness and showed no side effects.
Medical Marijuana for Depression, Anxiety
About 3 out of every 10 senior citizens may suffer from anxiety and depression. It’s estimated that about 12% of men and 24% of women over the age of 60 have used antidepressant medications. A growing number of seniors are seeing medical marijuana as a viable alternative to antidepressant pharmaceuticals. At the University of California San Diego’s geriatrics clinic, 25% of the cannabis-using patients said they used medical marijuana for anxiety. Another survey of medical marijuana patients ages 55 to 75 found that cannabis provided better sleep and next-day reductions in pain, anxiety, and depression.
Is Marijuana Safe for Aging Brains?
Some of the mood enhancements attributed to marijuana may come from symptom relief leading to an improved quality of life. In simple terms, if you are in less pain and sleeping better, your mood and mental focus may improve.
Cannabis can also evoke short-term alterations to brain chemistry that can affect memory, cognition, coordination, vision and hearing. Based on current understandings, it is unclear if these transient effects pose an increased risk of mental decline in older adults. Despite decades of research, the medical community has few definitive answers on the long-term effects of cannabis on mental health.
A recent study made headlines by reporting that heavy marijuana use may increase the long-term risk of dementia, and that older adults were more at risk. But the news may not be as dire as it seems, because the nature of the survey leaves numerous questions unanswered. The numbers were based on emergency room admissions for severe reactions to marijuana products rather than a larger cross-section of the cannabis-using public.
The study data also lacked specific details on the source (legal or illegal), quantity, duration and potency of cannabis products consumed. In an interesting side note, the study also found that ER patients treated for cannabis-related problems were at less risk of long-term dementia than those admitted for alcohol-related problems.
Responsible cannabis use by older adults may not pose the same risks. A Canadian review of literature on “Mental Health and Cognition in Older Cannabis Users” concluded that:
“Preliminary findings suggest that low-dose, short-term medical cannabis does not carry a significant risk of serious mental health and cognitive adverse effects in older adults without prior psychiatric history.”
The study authors did note that some cannabis-using residents of assisted-living facilities showed “poor mental health outcomes,” but offered no specifics on the nature or severity of these conditions, and did not attempt to provide a cause-and-effect explanation for the phenomenon.
King’s College London found that middle-aged cannabis users did not show signs of abnormal cognitive decline by age 50. Researchers at the University of Colorado’s Department of Psychology & Neuroscience found no significant difference between older cannabis-using and non-using adults in the areas of attention, memory, vocabulary, reading and thought processing.
There is some evidence that cannabinoids such as THC and CBD may improve mental function and protect brain health during the normal aging process. Laboratory research showed that low-dose THC reversed brain aging in older mice. Based on a review of scientific literature on the effects of marijuana on brain health, doctors at Harvard Medical School stated:
“The cognitive deficits associated with heavy, recreational cannabis may not be applicable to medical cannabis users, who may use products with less THC.”
A key takeaway from these and other studies is that THC may not be the “bad guy” when consumed in moderation. Product knowledge is key to harnessing THC’s potential benefit, because today’s marijuana is not your father’s “Woodstock weed.”
Marijuana Keeps Getting Stronger
Back in the day, a few tokes of wild-grown pot inspired musicians and made tossing a Frisbee more fun. Decades of hybridization later, today’s potent, lab-grown cultivars can induce near-catatonic states like the infamous “couch lock” effect. What changed was the THC content.
In the ’60s and ’70s, smoked marijuana had an average THC content of 2% or less. The 80s saw a mild increase in potency, and by the ’90s, cannabis flower averaged just over 4% THC. In the early 21st century, advances in cultivation methods such as cloning, hydroponics and indoor farming under a controlled environment sent THC content soaring, with many flower strains now containing more than 20% THC, and cannabis concentrates that can range as high as 90% THC.
Seniors can mitigate the risk of consuming potentially high-THC cannabis by obtaining products with a known and lab-certified content purchased from licensed. Adopting a “start low, go slow” approach to marijuana can be equally important, as older adults may face additional risks when consuming cannabis products.
Age-Related Risks of Cannabis
There are some specific areas of concern that older adults should be aware of when choosing cannabis therapy.
The risk of injury by falling increases with age, as does the severity of those injuries. Marijuana intoxication may increase the risk of falling due to dizziness, poor balance or vision impairment.
Traffic safety data shows that drivers over the age of 64 who tested positive for THC were involved in more crashes than other drivers of the same age.
Age-related changes in human physiology can slow the absorption, distribution and elimination of pharmaceutical drugs. Physicians often recommend lower prescription dosages for older patients. In a similar fashion, smaller doses of medicinal cannabis may provide older adults with the desired benefits.
Nine out of ten adults over the age of 65 take prescription medications, and more than half of this population is on four or more medications. Using multiple drugs at the same time can increase the risk of adverse reactions, and introducing cannabis into the pharmaceutical equation may add new variables and new risks.
Seniors Can Find Help for Medical Marijuana
Communication can play a major role in reaping the rewards and reducing the risks of age-related risks of cannabis therapies. Seniors are encouraged to inform their health care providers about cannabis use, and to stay up to date on new developments and new research.
CannaMD will continue to provide updates on the subject, and our network of certified medical marijuana doctors are prepared to answer any questions you might have. You can reach us at (855) 420-9170 or schedule an appointment online.
