1 In 5 Older Adults Say They Use Cannabis, According To New Research
- Cannabis News
- Cannabutter Digest
New research shows the prevalence of older adults who have been using cannabis for various benefits.
The University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging found 21% of people age 50 or older have used some form of cannabis at least once in the past year, an increase from 12% in 2021. 12% of those in the latest survey said they had used cannabis at least once a month in the past year.
The top five reasons they are using it are as follows:
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- Relax (81%)
- Help with sleep (68%)
- Enjoy the effects / feel good (64%)
- Help with pain relief (63%)
- Help mental health or mood (53%)
Other reasons given were to treat a medical condition, make a social gathering more fun/connect with others, celebrate, and experiment.
Older adults in fair / poor physical health, those age 50–64, and those with household incomes under $60,000 were more likely to use cannabis than older adults in better physical health, those age 65 and over, and those with household incomes of $60,000 or more, respectively.
Among adults age 50 and older who used cannabis, the products most commonly used were edibles / beverages (74%) and flower (58%). Fewer people used lotions / skincare products (34%); vaporizers (vapes) (26%); and dabs, butane hash oil, or other concentrates (19%).
Researchers say they expect cannabis use among older adults to continue to increase as more states legalize. Currently cannabis use is legal in 24 states plus the District of Columbia, and 14 more states allow it for medical use. But Erin E. Bonar, a University of Michigan addiction psychologist who worked with the poll team on the latest report, noted that more needs to be learned about the side effects of cannabis on older adults.
“We see more people using cannabis as it’s legalized, and we don’t have enough information yet to know: Are there safe ways of using? Are there recommended guidelines?” says Bonar, a professor in the department of psychiatry at Michigan Medicine. “So seeing the number creep up like that in the absence of really good scientific data to help guide people’s decisions with this, that’s a little bit concerning.”
Among older adults who used cannabis at least once a month, 56% have discussed cannabis use with their health care providers; 43% brought up the topic themselves, 10% said the provider did, and 3% said both they and their provider raised the topic of cannabis.
“Even if your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist doesn’t ask if you’re using cannabis products, it’s important to offer this information, no matter whether you’re using it to address a physical or mental health concern or simply for pleasure,” Jeffrey Kullgren, M.D., a primary care physician at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and director of the National Poll on Healthy Aging, said.
The poll asked 1,079 older adults in Michigan and 3,012 non-Michigan adults about their cannabis habits, focusing on THC-containing products in particular.
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