Cannabis use rises among the elderly, finds study

Cannabis use continues to increase in popularity among adults of 65 years of age and older in the United States, according to a new study.

The study from NYU Grossman School of Medicine estimates that cannabis use in adults aged 65 and older increased from 2.4 percent to 4.2 percent in the United States – a significant increase of 75 percent – between 2015 and 2018.

With the legalisation of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes in many states in the US, medical professionals are studying its use in treating a number of chronic health conditions.

The survey categorised cannabis use by asking whether marijuana, hashish, pot, grass, or hash oil was either smoked or ingested.

Researchers observed trends in prevalence of past-year cannabis use, broken down by sociodemographic background, chronic disease, healthcare utiliasation, and other substance use among adults age 65 and older, in the United States, between 2015 and 2018. Certain subsets of this population saw an even higher rise in prevalence. For example, researchers estimated that past-year use more than doubled by older adults with diabetes, among those who have received mental health treatment, and those reporting past-year alcohol use.

Women, and individuals who were married, had a college degree, or had higher income also significantly increased their cannabis use.

Researchers say they plan to acquire more detailed information about how medical marijuana affects older populations, its risks and side effects.