Could Medical Marijuana Help Older People With Their Ailments?

A preliminary study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 71st Annual Meeting suggests medical marijuana may bring relief to older people dealing with pain, sleep disorders, or anxiety due to chronic conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's, neuropathy, spinal cord damage, and multiple sclerosis, reports ScienceDaily . The study focused on 204 people, average age 81, enrolled in New York State's Medical Marijuana Program. Participants were orally administered various ratios of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) for an average of four months. At first, 34 percent experienced side effects, which fell to 21 percent after an adjustment in dosage. The most frequent side effects were sleepiness in 13 percent of participants, balance problems in 7 percent, and gastrointestinal disturbances in 7 percent. A ratio of one-to-one THC to CBD was the most common ratio among people who observed no side effects. Sixty-nine percent of participants had some symptom relief, and the most common conditions that improved were pain, sleep symptoms, neuropathy, and anxiety. "Our findings show that medical marijuana is well-tolerated in people age 75 and older and may improve symptoms like chronic pain and anxiety," said the Dent Neurologic Institute's Laszlo Mechtler. "Future research should focus on symptoms like sleepiness and balance problems, as well as efficacy and optimal dosing."