By Pat Anson

Cannabis use continues to grow among older Americans, according to a new study that found nearly one in five middle-aged adults consumed cannabis within the past year.  

The study by researchers at Columbia University is based on data from the 2022 Health and Retirement Study — a nationwide survey of older adults.

Researchers reported that 18.5% of adults aged 50 to 64, and 5.9% of adults over the age of 65 acknowledged using cannabis products. The findings are consistent with previous studies that found rising percentages of middle-aged and older adults consuming marijuana products. Smoking was the primary way used to consume cannabis in both groups.

About 25% of middle-aged adults and 20% of older adults said they used cannabis for medical purposes. Over 75% of respondents in both age groups supported the medical use of cannabis, but researchers sounded a note of caution about its growing acceptance.

“Cannabis use among both middle-aged and older U.S. adults is higher than previously reported in state and national-level studies, with many engaging in cannabis behaviors associated with increased harm. Greater public health and clinical efforts are needed for tailored prevention and intervention strategies,” Columbia researchers reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

While cannabis use is growing for therapeutic purposes, most medical organizations still frown on it. The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently released a new guideline that recommends against the use of medical cannabis for most patients with chronic noncancer pain.

The ACP said physicians should warn patients that the harms of cannabis use outweigh their potential benefits. Medical cannabis may produce small improvements in pain, function and disability, but the ACP warns it could lead to addiction and cognitive issues, as well as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and pulmonary problems.

A large study in the UK recently found that cannabis use may actually benefit older adults by slowing the aging of brains and improving cognitive function. Normal aging typically involves a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, but when researchers compared the cognitive performance of cannabis users and non-users, they found that cannabis users had better cognitive function and had brain characteristics “typically associated with younger brains.“  

“It is not surprising that a growing percentage of adults consider cannabis to be a viable option in their later years,” said Paul Armentano , Deputy Director of NORML, a marijuana advocacy group.

“Many middle-aged and older adults struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep, and other conditions that cannabis products can mitigate. Many older adults are also well aware of the litany of adverse side effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they see medical cannabis as a practical and potentially safer alternative.”

A recent analysis found that medical cannabis is most effective for managing neuropathic pain, but doesn’t work as well for migraine, headache and acute pain. The report by Green Health Docs, a company that connects patients with licensed medical marijuana doctors, is based in part on a survey of 1,450 patients who use medical cannabis.

The vast majority (86%) of those surveyed reported moderate-to-significant pain improvement. Many patients were able to reduce or stop using opioids and other prescribed analgesics once they started using medical cannabis.