By Pat Anson

Older Americans increasingly identify as cannabis consumers, with about 6% saying they’ve used cannabis products in the past year. That percentage is likely to increase due to the long-awaited federal legalization of medical marijuana. 

A new study helps explain why older adults are turning to cannabis. Researchers at the University of Utah Health and University of Colorado Boulder interviewed 169 adults over age 60 who were about to purchase cannabis for the first time. 

When asked what symptoms or health issues led to their decision to try cannabis, nearly 57% said better sleep was the driving factor, followed by pain relief (49.7%) and mental health (24.9%).

The study findings, recently published in JAMA Network Open,found that many older adults turn to cannabis because they are seeking more effective non-pharmaceutical options. Many base their decisions on word of mouth and positive anecdotes from others, rather than discussions with healthcare providers.

“Because I’ve read about it and I have friends who are on medical cannabis who are getting relief, getting help with sleep and some relief from pain,” said one participant. 

“They brought a lot of feedback from other people to inform their opinions,” says first authorRebecca Delaney, PhD, Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah. “Overall, they really wanted better quality of life, reducing their pain, getting better sleep, and being able to enjoy time with family and friends a little bit more.”

Many of those interviewed had grown tired of side effects from pharmaceutical drugs or found them ineffective.

“I worry about the side effects of the NSAID meds, the Aleve, Excedrin, aspirin, ibuprofen. They all really do help my arthritis when I take it, but I’ve also had friends that have gotten bleeding ulcers from taking those meds too much. So that’s made me very worried about taking them too often,” said one study participant.. 

“I’m a little concerned about alcohol as a sleep aid because it’s toxic and affects your kidneys and liver and all kinds of other things. And I found that melatonin isn’t that effective. I don’t really want to do prescription, over-the-counter drugs. I’ve done those in the past and they just make you groggy the next day,” said another.

“As I am aging I have some joint pains that I would like to get rid of. I’m very active. I’d rather not have those. They are kind of adding up. I’ve had lower back problems for many, many years,” another participant told researchers.  

Given a choice of what cannabis product to use, over half the older adults (57.5%) selected a product that combined THC and CBD. Many thought CBD was more beneficial for physical health, while THC was best for improving mood. Most people chose combination products to give them the best of both worlds.

Only a small number of participants wanted to use cannabis to get high or to help improve mood and relax during social gatherings. Others want to try cannabis as a substitute for alcohol or other recreational substances that are potentially harmful. 

“For the most part, we found that these folks aren’t really interested in getting high. They just want to feel better,” said senior authorAngela Bryan, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at CU Boulder.

An important caveat is that the survey was conducted in Colorado, where medical and recreational cannabis have been legal for several years. For older adults in other states where cannabis is illegal or where only medical use is permitted, attitudes about cannabis may be different. 

Researchers say healthcare providers need to be better educated and more involved in helping their patients make thoughtful decisions about cannabis use. Whether they approve or not, more people are going to try cannabis as barriers against its use are taken down.

“The ultimate goal is to develop resources to help people make decisions and find products that meet their needs, and to figure out how we can distill information to patients and physicians,” Delaney says. “We would really love to see more of these conversations happening between physicians and patients to make sure that people feel supported and informed when seeking alternative ways to address their pain.”

Previous studies have found that medical cannabis can be beneficial for older adults, improving their cognitive function, lowering blood pressure, and reducing their need for painkillers.