Why your grandparents are now using marijuana

Teenage marijuana use has declined in states that have legalized it. It seems that another group has taken over the youth position. Because of this, your grandparents are now using marijuana. Yes, the baby boomers have seen a surge in consumption. As BDS Analytics noted in a consumer report, baby boomers have become an “important and growing segment” of cannabis users. Adults are using marijuana more than ever, and the number of people 65 and older has increased by 75% in the last three years.

Neither analysis explained why older consumers used more marijuana. But a brand new study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatric may provide answers. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego collected self-administered data from 568 patients who attended the university’s geriatric clinic over a 12-week period. Questions included whether, why and how seniors used cannabis, what types of marijuana they used (CBD or THC?), lifetime use, and how it helped treat symptoms.

You won’t be surprised that older adults prefer recreational cannabis for medicinal reasons. The most common medical reasons included pain, sleep and anxiety. Researchers were keen to understand why older adults used marijuana for anxiety.

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“Anxiety was a common reason for cannabis use among older adults,” the study authors wrote. “Overall, the use of cannabis for anxiety is considered helpful in relieving symptoms.”

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Those who used marijuana to treat anxiety symptoms were more likely to use cannabis with THC, vape flower more often, and consume edibles more often than other patients. The researchers found that more than three-fifths of the elderly patients were first-time users, although another significant proportion were re-acquainting themselves with the plant. They also suggested that cannabis could replace polypharmacy in several elderly patients taking multiple medications to treat different ailments.

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“More research is needed on cannabis in older adults, including the prevalence of use, efficacy in treating anxiety, and possible changes in co-prescribed anti-anxiety medications as a result of cannabis use,” the study authors added.

Another reason for using it is for intimacy. Cannabis helps people relax, increases their sensitivity to touch and increases the intensity of their feelings, enhancing their sexual experience