Many Older Americans Aren't Telling Their Doctors They Use Pot

HealthDay News reports that few older Americans inform their doctors that they use marijuana, according to a study in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse . Although those who use medicinal marijuana are more likely to tell their doctors about it than recreational users, only a fraction of such users disclosed this. "Older adults may worry about how doctors would respond, as stigma about cannabis use as a psychoactive substance is still prevalent," said Namkee Choi at the University of Texas at Austin. Of more than 17,000 Americans 50 and older who participated in the 2018 and 2019 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 10 percent used cannabis over the past year. Almost 20 percent used it for medicinal reasons like pain relief or to treat depression. Older users exhibited higher rates of mental illness, alcohol use disorder, and nicotine dependence compared with non-users, but medical users were less likely to have alcohol problems than recreational users. "It is really important to discuss with your doctors who know your preexisting conditions and medications that you are taking, and make a decision about cannabis use that will increase your safety and decrease any potential adverse effects," Choi advised.