New York, NY: More than one in five adults over the age of 65 acknowledge having consumed cannabis products within the past year, according to survey data published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Researchers affiliated with New York University and the University of California at San Diego surveyed more than 300 older adults residing in New York City. (Cannabis products are legal in New York for both adult-use and medical purposes.) Participants were recruited on sidewalks in front of older adult centers and in public parks.
Twenty-two percent of respondents acknowledged using cannabis within the past year; 16 percent reported having used cannabis during the past month, and 13 percent acknowledged having consumed cannabis in the past 48 hours. Sixty percent of respondents reported consuming cannabis recreationally, while over half acknowledged using marijuana to relieve tension or to improve sleep.
“This study provides new insight into cannabis-use patterns among mobile older adults in a diverse, community-based sample,” investigators concluded. “Findings suggest that cannabis use among older adults may be more common and clinically significant than suggested by prior evidence.”
The survey’s findings are consistent with those from AARP and others reporting rising rates of cannabis use among older adults and seniors.
Separate survey data published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health determined that most older adults hold positive perceptions about cannabis, and many studies show that marijuana products are typically associated with quality of life improvements and reduced prescription drug use among seniors.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use among people aged 65 and older: Results from an Intercept survey in New York City,” appears in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Cannabis Use by Older Populations.’