San Francisco, CA: Veterans over the age of 50 are more likely than non-veterans to self-report using cannabis, according to survey data published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco assessed cannabis use trends among 900,000 adults, 13 percent of whom were veterans. They reported that veterans between the ages of 50 and 64 are 44 percent more likely than non-veterans to consume cannabis. Veterans between the ages of 65 and 80 are 33 percent more likely than their peers to use cannabis.
Veterans without traditional health insurance are most likely to report cannabis consumption.
Separate survey data have previously reported that 39 percent of military veterans say that they “know a veteran” who is using cannabis medicinally, and 75 percent say that they “would be interested in using cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option if it were available.”
The results of a 2025 observational study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence reported that cannabis use by veterans with post-traumatic stress is linked to reduced stress and better same-night sleep quality.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use among veterans versus non-veterans in the USA, 2016-2023: A cross-sectional analysis,” appears in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Further information on cannabis use among veterans is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Veterans Issues.’