Cannabis use among older veterans has reached levels comparable to modern-day tobacco use, with more than 1 in 10 reporting past-month cannabis consumption, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers surveyed 4,503 Veterans Health Administration patients aged 65 to 84 years between 2020 and 2023, finding that 10.3% had used cannabis in the previous 30 days — with over half of these users consuming cannabis 20 or more days per month.

According to the report, more than one-third (36.3%) of those using cannabis in the past 30 days met criteria for cannabis use disorder (CUD), representing about 3.7% of the total sample.

The study found that several factors were associated with increased risk of CUD among the older veterans, including being on the younger side of study participants (65-75 vs. 76-84 years), exhibiting anxiety symptoms, having difficulty with everyday tasks and a history of illicit drug use.

The study also found cannabis use more likely among veterans who were unmarried, experiencing economic hardship, current or former tobacco users and those living in states with recreational cannabis legalization.

In addition, researchers found that the method of consumption significantly affected CUD risk, with inhaled cannabis (smoking, vaping or dabbing) associated with 3.5 times higher odds of developing CUD compared to using edibles only. Among past-month users, smoking was the most common form of cannabis use (72.4%), followed by edibles (36.9%).

Of all participants, 58.2% reported ever using cannabis and 28.9% said they used it for medical purposes. Among these medical cannabis users, the most common reasons included pain management (56.4%), mood or mental health concerns (18.4%) and sleep difficulties (16%).

“Given high rates of frequent cannabis use and CUD among older veterans, screening for cannabis use in clinical settings may be necessary, alongside referrals to appropriate specialty treatment,” the researchers concluded.