Cannabis Use Spikes Among US Seniors

The proportion of adults aged 65 years or older who are using cannabis has more than quadrupled in the last 20 years states a new study.

Given the increasing availability of legal cannabis, older adults have increased interest in using it for a range of chronic health conditions – and/or recreationally.

According to a research letter just published, increase in past-year use of cannabis in this cohort has jumped from less than 1.0% in 2005 to 4.2% in 2018.

The new study by researchers from the San Diego School of Medicine and NYU Grossman School of Medicine  included 15,689 adults aged 65+ and found prevalence of past-month cannabis use among older adults increased significantly from 4.8% in 2021 to 7.0%  in 2023.

In addition to certain demographic factors, increased prevalence in past-month cannabis use was associated with several conditions. In particular, it was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (6.4% to 13.5%), but increased prevalence was also associated with heart conditions, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and two or more chronic medical conditions.

While some previous studies have indicated medical cannabis is safe and effective for seniors, the researchers warn the use of cannabis products, especially those with psychoactive properties such as products containing THC, could complicate chronic disease management.

“While more older adults are currently using cannabis, evidence to support its medical use in this population remains mixed,” the authors state. “Given physiological changes and chronic diseases, older adults are susceptible to adverse effects of cannabis, which may require acute medical care. Clinicians should consider screening and educating older patients about potential risks of cannabis use.”

The researchers note among the limitations of their study was a lack of sampling of institutionalised populations and that it didn’t include the range of cannabis use – such as frequency, recreational vs. medical use, and cannabinoid type.

A separate study published back in 2020 found cannabis was being used mostly for medical purposes among seniors and close to half of the group were using cannabidiol-only products

The research letter has been published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.