While marijuana use existed well before the Baby Boom generation took hold, there’s no doubt that there’s a strong association between growing up in the 60s and 70s and smoking pot or getting high. The question becomes, is that a safe or healthy habit as a person in your 60s, 70s, or beyond? Whatever the answer, one thing is clear. Older adults in today’s world are using cannabis (another word for marijuana) in ever-increasing numbers. According to a recent survey from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, 21% of adults 50 and over said that they have used cannabis with THC (the ingredient that causes the psychoactive effect) at least once in the past year, while 12% said they did so at least once a month. Data on cannabis use shows that the 65+ market is fast growing, which may have something to do with the growing legalization of cannabis (24 states have now legalized recreational use, along with the District of Columbia), along with the accumulating aches, pains, and problems that typically accompany aging. For example, among the reasons older adults admit to cannabis use are to relax, get better sleep, help with pain relief, and help with mental health. While the science to back up these benefits is mixed at best, anecdotal evidence seems to support cannabis as a valuable companion to aging bodies. Note that CBD, which we have addressed in many previous posts, does not contain THC, so there is no accompanying “high” when taking CBD (and perhaps less risk).

As to which cannabis products might offer the best benefits, there is really no solid evidence to point to. Experts suggest that you always start with a low dose and go slow when considering a stronger dose. It’s advised that you buy from a licensed dispensary to make it more likely that your purchase is safe and as described. It’s important to note that the cannabis available today has much increased levels of THC than the cannabis consumed decades ago, so the potency of what’s currently available is likely much stronger. While smoking cannabis is said to offer a quicker impact, there is the risk of lung damage, so anyone with impaired lung functioning would want to avoid that. Yet with gummies and other edibles, you are less able to control what you ingest, so that you may expose yourself to greater risk, especially if you already take multiple medications. It’s always advised that you discuss your interest in trying cannabis with your health care provider before starting, and according to the National Poll on Health Aging, 56% of those who said they use cannabis once a month said they had discussed this with their doctor.

So, what evidence exists for the risks of using cannabis as an older adult? Let’s take sleep as an example. It’s known that older adults often have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night. Does cannabis help you get better sleep?  What little research that exists tends to report that, in fact, cannabis may actually have a negative effect on your sleep quality. One recent study showed that those over 65 who use cannabis tended to sleep less than those who did not. There is no real data comparing cannabis to other sleep medications, and no long-term data that shows cannabis can help you sleep better. While it’s possible there’s a placebo effect from consuming cannabis to help you sleep, there’s little scientific evidence to support that.

But speaking of scientific evidence, there is a growing body of evidence regarding more harmful health effects from consuming cannabis. For example, there are 2 recent studies connecting cannabis consumption with potential risk to heart health. According to a recent post in Healthline, cannabis users under the age of 50 were more than 6 times as likely to have a heart attack compared to non-users. It’s not clear why that is, or whether the risk depends upon the way the cannabis is consumed, but it’s important information to consider, especially if you are already at risk for a cardiac event. Of perhaps more direct relevance to older adults, a new study published in JAMA Network Open examined the connection between emergency care and hospitalization due to cannabis consumption and a subsequent dementia diagnosis among older Canadian adults. In this study, middle-aged or older adults who sought out emergency room care or required hospitalization due to cannabis use were almost 2 times as likely to develop dementia over the following five years as compared to similarly situated adults who had not consumed cannabis. The study does not prove cannabis use can lead to dementia (and does not describe the amount of use that led to the emergency care), but it does raise serious concerns that warrant further investigation and that suggest older adults need to think carefully about cannabis use. For more on this study, exhale and read here and here.

There is a positive recent study that also shines a light on the potential benefit of cannabis use for those who have cancer. Published in Frontiers in Oncology, this new study highlighted the palliative benefits of cannabis for those experiencing cancer symptoms and the possible benefits that cannabis may provide to directly fight the disease itself. For this study, researchers reviewed the findings from more than 10,000 previous studies on cannabis and cancer to demonstrate that cannabis is definitely valuable in responding to such symptoms as inflammation, appetite loss, and nausea. The evidence that cannabis can help directly fight cancer is more tangential and requires more research, but for those dealing with cancer side effects, there’s no doubt that cannabis may play a useful role in symptom relief.  And whether cannabis has other valuable health benefits also requires more scientific inquiry- something that may await federal declassification of cannabis as no longer illegal. Time will tell, but for the moment, the scientific evidence of benefit is limited.