Why older adults are turning to weed
Older adults are increasingly turning to cannabis to avoid taking pharmaceuticals, or as a “last resort” for pain, sleep, mental health issues and other age-related problems. But they have real concerns about the drug’s potentially intoxicating effects, according to new CU 91Ҹ and University of Utah research.
The study was published May 1 in the
“For the most part, we found that these folks aren’t really interested in getting high. They just want to feel better,” said senior author Angela Bryan, professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU 91Ҹ.
Adults age 60 and older constitute the fastest growing demographic of cannabis users in the U.S. Yet previous research shows they often have trouble getting evidence-based advice from their doctors. The authors hope their findings, and more to come later this year from their first-of-a-kind study of older cannabis users, can inform new tools to help people navigate their decisions.
“Older adults would love to be able to talk about this with their primary care providers, but, unfortunately, the typical response they get is either, ‘I don’t know anything about it’ or ‘I can’t make any recommendations,’” said Bryan. “These patients often end up going to a dispensary and talking to a well-meaning 22-year-old budtender who doesn’t have the training to advise a 75-year-old with knee problems.”
The graying weed consumer
Between , the prevalence of people over age 65 who used cannabis soared 250% as legalization swept the country. Prevalence has continued to climb since, with 19% of adults ages 50–64 and 6% over 65 now using cannabis.
To understand why, and to explore the unique risks and benefits this group faces, the research team recruited 169 Colorado adults (average age 71) who were not regular cannabis users yet but were interested in trying edibles.
The researchers interviewed each participant at length.
Later, using CU 91Ҹ’s mobile laboratory, aka Cannavan, the team visited the homes of participants after they had used cannabis and invited them into the van for tests of balance, heart rate, cognition and other measures. (Because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, such tests cannot take place in a lab on campus.)
Professional research assistants Paige Xiaoying Phillips (left) and Gray MacDonald pose for a photo inside the mobile pharmacology lab, aka the Cannavan, at CU 91Ҹ.
They found that 57% of older adults sought help for sleep, 50% for pain and 25% for mental health issues. Most were interested in a combination product including THC and CBD. Less than 14% sought THC-dominant products.
Many expressed concern that THC (the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) would impair their cognition or motivation (CBD—cannabidiol—does not generally cause intoxication).
“Combination products were perceived to be a ‘Goldilocks’ option,” the authors report.
dzlimited evidencesuggests that adding CBD to THC can augment a product’s anti-inflammatory properties while reducing some of THC’s intoxicating effects and paranoia,but more research is necessary to know for sure, said Bryan.
Participants often found their way to cannabis after exhausting other options, due to concerns about medication side effects, or because they thought they were already taking too many pills. In the absence of guidance from healthcare providers, they relied on advertising or word-of-mouth claims.
CU 91Ҹ Professor Angela Bryan
“We would love to see more conversations happening about this in the healthcare system, where physicians can help guide things,” said first author Rebecca Delaney, an assistant professor of population health sciences at University of Utah Health whose team develops “decision aids” (like pamphlets, videos and interactive websites) to help patients navigate healthcare decisions.
Bryan envisions a day when an older person considering cannabis could plug their ailment, age, other medications they’re on and preferences into a web-based decision aid and get science-backed advice on whether cannabis might help and which kind (CBD, THC or a combination? Edible or flower?).
Since little research has been done on older cannabis users, that advice is hard to come by now.
“At the end of the day, we want to help people make informed decisions,” Bryan said.
Custom cannabis for the older set?
Bryan notes that cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body dwindle with age—which may impact dosing. Some preliminary research suggests older adults may also be more sensitive to certain side effects, such as stomach problems from edibles.
Those with other age-related health problems may need to be more mindful of the impaired balance, elevated heart rate and acute cognitive problems that, according to the team’s preliminary findings, can come with higher levels of THC.
“The worst thing that can happen to an older adult is falling and breaking a hip, so that’s something some people need to consider,” said Bryan.
Forthcoming papers from the study will report how well cannabis worked and its acute and longer-term impacts. For now, Bryan says their work provides valuable insight to the cannabis industry: Tailoring some products to the over-60 set could be a wise idea.
“I think the takeaway for industry would be that this is a demographic that currently is not being very well tailored to,” Bryan said.