A new study found that marijuana use has reached an all-time high among older adults. But are people living with dementia also included in that figure?

In 2023, roughly 7% of adults 65 and older reported using cannabis, according to an analysis published by JAMA Internal Medicine earlier this month.

Dr. Pallavi Joshi is a geriatric psychiatrist at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute.

“So this includes people with and without neurological diagnoses like Alzheimer’s disease, as well as psychiatric comorbidities like anxiety and depression,” Joshi said.

Joshi says there’s no evidence showing that cannabis can help manage neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. In fact, it can worsen symptoms.

“The exception to where cannabis is recommended for management of any symptoms related to dementia is in the hospice setting,” Joshi said.

She says long-term use of cannabis is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, sleep disturbances and psychosis.