Cannabis Use Among Seniors Up by 75 Percent, Analysis Finds

A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found the number of American adults over 65 who used cannabis nearly doubled from 2.4 percent in 2015 to 4.2 percent in 2018, for an increase of 75 percent, reports United Press International . Many states legalized some forms of cannabis during that period, but the researchers think social acceptability overall may have played a significant role. "I think a lot of older people are hearing more and more about potential medical uses and many of these people are willing to try it out to see how it works," said New York University Langone Medical Center Professor Joseph J. Palamar. Cannabis use especially increased among women, people who were college educated, and higher income earners — and all races and ethnic groups exhibited greater use as well. Much of the increased use seems have been driven by potential health benefits associated with cannabis, in relation to conditions that include diabetes and mental illness."If you're an older individual and re-initiating marijuana use, you need to keep in mind that it may be stronger than what you used back in the day, and your body also isn't the same," Palamar cautioned.