Relax Boomer! – Just being old is now a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Hawaii

Hawaii Senate Committee Approves Bill To Legalize Marijuana For Senior Citizens 65 And Older

Hawaii intends to make medicinal cannabis legal for anyone over the age of 65. That means the only requirement for entry into the state’s medical marijuana program is being “old.” This bill passed the Hawaii Senate Committee by a 3-0 vote in favor, with two abstentions for not being present for the vote.

Critics argue that the Senate committee is essentially legalizing recreational cannabis for people in this age group and older. However, the Senate committee argued that medical marijuana “has been shown to positively help with these often recurring health problems and lead to a better quality of life.”

In addition, the committee went on to

Lawmakers further note that such conditions have been significantly exacerbated by the pandemic, economic instability and rising uncertainty in recent years. “The aim of this law is therefore to make it easier for seniors to access the state medical cannabis program.”

In today’s article, we’re going to take a closer look at why this should be enacted not just in Hawaii but around the world. The fact of the matter is that making medical cannabis available to everyone over the age of 65 is probably one of the best things a state can do for its citizens.

Let me explain why…

Age or Endocannabinoid Deficiency?

Your endocannabinoid system is fully mature around the age of 25. This means that before the age of 25 you produce a lot of endocannabinoids. However, the moment your entire system is set up, your endocannabinoid production drops significantly.

The endocannabinoid system is responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body. Essentially, it helps keep everything in balance, promotes better immune health, aids in appetite, sleep, and affects virtually every part of the body.

Because the production of endocannabinoids decreases after the age of 25, most people do not engage in activities that contribute to the production of more endocannabinoids, such as: E.g. exercise, meditation, proper nutrition. Over time, endocannabinoid deficiencies can manifest themselves in a variety of conditions and diseases. Many of these symptoms occur in people over the age of 65.

Although it’s not definitive – it’s very likely that individuals in this age group could be suffering from an endocannabinoid deficiency. For this reason, when using cannabis as medicine, older people show immediate benefits and many report “feeling great, young, etc.”

Furthermore, while the above is not (yet) scientifically proven, if we take a look at common aging symptoms, we can see that cannabis helps many of them. These include fatigue, pain, appetite, etc.

So if you’re in an age group that’s plagued by side effects that cannabis can treat, then not making cannabis legal for that age group is illogical, to say the least. Of course, that doesn’t mean anyone in that age group would benefit from cannabis. Some people may have conflicts with their current medication use – which is why it is important if you are in this age group that you consult your GP about your plans to incorporate cannabis into your life.

Medical cannabis is not recreational cannabis

I often hear people talk about medicinal cannabis being a “Trojan horse” for recreational legalization. But I do not agree with this assessment. While it’s true – because in practice there is no difference between a “medical marijuana bud” and a “recreational marijuana bud” – the difference lies in the motivation for use.

In many cases, medicinal cannabis users require larger amounts of cannabis to treat their symptoms. Typically, medical marijuana is cheaper than recreational marijuana, and for purely economic reasons, it makes sense to have two classifications for cannabis.

Additionally, one could argue that recreational cannabis is medicinal—although some people use it for “recreational purposes” or “get high to get high.” When you ask someone who smokes weed why they do it, they often say, “Because I like it, it relaxes me, it helps me relax…etc.” All of these reasons allude to the idea that “it helps you relieve stress.” Stress is a major contributor to a variety of illnesses, and when you smoke a joint to “relax” you are technically engaging in stress reduction therapy with phytocannabinoids.

Why should we adopt this en masse?

The fact is, Medicaid and Medicare cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. If cannabis can reduce annual costs even slightly, then that would be a huge win for the entire nation.

Cannabis can help reduce the need for expensive medication and can be a natural alternative to many medications prescribed to the elderly. For example, cannabis could potentially be a far less risky drug for older people than benzodiazepines, which older people are prescribed for long-term use.

This proportion increased significantly with increasing age from 2.6% in the 18 to 35 year olds to 8.7% in the 65 to 80 year olds. Long-term use – more than 120 days – also increased significantly with age. Of 65- to 80-year-olds who took benzodiazepines, 31.4% received prescriptions for long-term use, versus 14.7% of adults 18-35 years of age – SOURCE: NIH.Gov

Side effects of benzodiazepines include:

Some less common side effects of benzodiazepines include:

• headache

• low blood pressure

• increased saliva production

• indigestion

• skin rashes

• visual disturbances such as B. Double vision

• tremors (tremors)

• Changes in sexual desire

• incontinence (loss of bladder control)

• difficulty urinating.

Some rare side effects of benzodiazepines include:

SOURCE: Mind.ORG

Contrast this with the most common side effects of cannabis, including: mental slowness, impaired reaction times, and sometimes an increase in anxiety. SOURCE: NIH

Put simply, if cannabis can replace benzodiazepines in older generations, you will see a net benefit simply from reducing the side effects of the benzos themselves. This will lower the cost of things like Medicare and Medicaid, and ultimately provide greater benefits to patients.

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