Skip to content

Older adults and medical marijuana: Reduced stigma and increased use

April 24, 2020 / Arfinn Med MD /

Older adults and medical marijuana: Reduced stigma and increased use

As a primary care doctor who has incorporated medical cannabis into his practice, it is notable how many silver-haired patients are coming in to discuss the pros and cons of a trial of medical cannabis. These patients range from people in their 60s with kidney failure who can no longer take certain pain medications but still need to manage chronic pain, to patients in their 90s, who are looking for a good night’s sleep and are leery of the side effects of traditional sleep medications. Some of them — typically “children of the 60s” — are quite comfortable with the idea of using medical marijuana; others bring it up quietly, as if they are asking permission to break the law.

According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cannabis use among older adults (defined as 65 and older) in the US has been steadily increasing. In this study, the prevalence of past-year use increased from 2.4% to 4.2% from 2015 to 2018. This study is consistent with other research, as well as with reports from physicians who recommend cannabis in their daily practices.

What might be behind this trend?

Read Full Article Here

Stories you may be interested in

Cannabis and autism, explained

Over the past decade, autistic people and their families have increasingly experimented with medical marijuana and products derived from it. Many hope these compounds will alleviate a range of autism-related traits and problems. But scientists are still in the early stages of rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and effectiveness, which means that people who pursue…
Read More →

Aching for a Better Alternative?

To close out Arthritis Awareness Month, we’re highlighting how medical marijuana may be a beneficial alternative treatment for this painful and debilitating disease. With over 31 million Americans suffering from various types of arthritis, the condition stands as the leading disability throughout the U.S. As many may know, arthritis is most common among the middle-aged…
Read More →

An Alternative Treatment for Parkinson’s Patients

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and an opportune time to highlight the disease and how medical marijuana may be a beneficial treatment option for those living with the condition. Many Parkinson’s patients find themselves desperate for alternative treatment options that provide sufficient relief of their symptoms and help avoid or postpone the need for surgery…
Read More →

Study on cannabis chemical as a treatment for pancreatic cancer may have ‘major impact,’ Harvard researcher says

Pancreatic cancer makes up just 3 percent of all cancers in America. But with a one-year survival rate of just 20 percent (and five-year survival rate of less than 8), it’s predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2020. Headlines about the illness, as a result, tend to be discouraging. But this month scientists from Harvard University’s Dana-Farber…
Read More →

Data Migration During EMR Changes

One of the most challenging aspects when deciding to switch to a new EMR system is how to get existing data from the old system to the new system safely, securely and accurately.  Many times, the scope of this task is enough to force providers to remain with a subpar vendor even though there are…
Read More →

PTSD and Cannabis

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs in people who witnessed or have gone through a traumatic event.  That can include events such as  natural disasters, war/combat, a serious accident, or personal assault, among others.  People suffering from PTSD have disturbing thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event that can last…
Read More →

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.