'I know a song which is more hurtful than strychnine or the kiss of the asp. It blasts those who hear it, changes their color and shape, and dissipates their substance. It is called Time.
Yet they who hear it shed their age
And take their youth again.'
- Journals, Emerson
Yet they who hear it shed their age
And take their youth again.'
- Journals, Emerson
'Marijuana activist and poet John Sinclair, although older now at 78, is no less the rebel he was in 1969.
“I knew they were going to be after me, but you can’t let them determine your life,” he said of his 1971 release from prison for possession of two joints.
About 9:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor with a happy line of hundreds wrapped around the block, Sinclair made what was likely the first-ever licensed recreational retail marijuana sale in Michigan.'
- MLive News
Life, if it is allowed to complete its cycle naturally and ripen to old age, comes full circle. The very old are very much like the very young. They need the tender, loving care that one provides a child, and the older a person gets, the closer he or she comes to infancy. The mind becomes as open as that of a baby's, and the body becomes as fragile as that of a baby's. The elderly, therefore, need the kind of care and attention that one provides for a little child. If one provides the tender care for an elderly person, and if one is blessed to be at the side of an elderly person - who has ripened naturally to old age - when he or she dies, then, I believe, something magical and mystical happens if the elderly person dies in peace in one's arms - a passing of the spiritual baton. This is much like the magical experience that one has when one holds a new-born baby in one's arms. One of the most important lessons, that many never learn, is that when one lives around an elderly person, one learns how to age and die gracefully. By not being around an elderly person and watching them age and die naturally, one never learns fully how to age and die gracefully oneself. We can see - from persons who have lost either one or both their parents at a young age - that when they grow old they try to continue to live like how they did when they were young. The person who has lost a parent or both at a young age has no choice. If he or she is lucky, there may be another elderly person close by from whom they can watch and learn the valuable art of dying that is not taught anywhere else, but in the school of lived experience.
Society, in general, is future facing. The adult has no time for the aged. The adult's focus is on the young, that is if the adult can manage to think beyond himself or herself, which itself is rarely the case. The systems we build, and the structures we create are all aligned mostly to our own needs. The very young, being on the threshold of life, learn quite quickly to adapt to the changing systems and structures, since their survival in this world depend on it and their life energies are on the rise. For the very old, on the threshold of death, their energies are dissipating and they find it very hard to cope with the accelerating changes that they have been adapted to throughout their lives. Most people have no patience with the elderly since all their patience has been expended on their young. So, it is quite common to find that the elderly are completely neglected, as the middle aged adult chooses between the young and the old in whatever time remains after the near total pursuit of wealth, social and economic status, and winning the rat race. What most people do not realise is that how a person treats the elderly within the family is finally the fate of that person when he or she reaches old age, because the children are watching and constantly learning from the parent. When one sees one's parents neglecting their own parents and striving to amass wealth, one does the same when one reaches adulthood. As is nearly always the case, the parent is constantly pushing the child to earn more money than anybody else, prioritizing this over everything else. So is it any wonder that given a choice between looking after one's aged parents and following a career path that leads one far away from the elderly - with the promise of more money - most people choose to take the latter. This is quite often what their own parents did, and so it becomes the default option for the child.
As a result of this way of thinking being predominant in society, we find that the elderly are left behind, living by themselves and having to take care of their own needs. In affluent families, the elderly have all the money and luxuries that come with it, but they will most likely die alone in a big sprawling house wondering why their children are not beside them when they depart. There is sometimes a paid care giver - if the elderly person is that lucky - otherwise, some neighbour or passerby will discover the dead elderly person, hopefully before the body itself has completely decayed. With the poor, the elderly person might die on the streets of starvation and illness when he or she has been pushed out to by children who feel that the elderly person is an economic burden. More than the number of abandoned children in this world, I think there are abandoned elderly persons. And this is not just among the poor, but also among relatively well off people who do not want to waste their money on someone who they know is anyway going to die soon. Quite often, the middle aged adult is waiting for the elderly to die so that whatever money and possessions the elderly has can be seized.
The aged suffer from a whole range of problems that are related to their deteriorating bodies and minds. Decreased digestive powers, failing eyesight and hearing, loss of teeth, weight issues, inability to sleep, age related ailments like dementia, arthritis and amnesia, chronic pain, depression, stress, anxiety, immobility, injuries from falls and accidents, are all conditions that affect the elderly. With our current lifestyles we can now add cancer, obesity, domestic violence, increasing crime against elders including financial crimes, etc., also to the problems facing the elderly.
What do we, as a society, do for the elderly? Not much, if you ask me. Our social and economic infrastructure and systems are designed in such a way that the elderly are left out. Almost everything we create does not have the elderly in mind, much like it does not have the disabled in mind. In terms of healthcare, the elderly have the same harmful synthetic prescription medicines that the middle aged adult has. In terms of intoxication, the elderly have the same alcohol and tobacco that the middle aged adult has. While all these means of health and intoxication are not so damaging for the healthy middle aged adult, they can be quite devastating for the elderly. The elderly have been through a lifelong abuse of their bodies and minds by these toxins that have made most of their biological systems highly vulnerable and dependent. But they have no choice. If they have the money, they will continue down the path of these legal toxins till their bodies and minds collapse. If they don't have the money, then they will just need to endure patiently the pain and suffering of old age, minus even these drugs provided by society, waiting for death to provide the final release.
It is not that the elderly are entirely free of blame. As I said, these systems are in place because the very people who are the elderly now had a key role to play in putting these systems in place. They have pursued wealth, clung to it, and strengthened the current landscape of medicine and intoxicant, doing all this when they were younger and stronger, neglecting their own elderly, until one fine day they wake up to find out that now they themselves are old, and there is no escape from these traps that they themselves have helped to create. By saying that cannabis must be prohibited because it harms the young - which itself is not true - the elderly have deprived themselves of the medicine, entheogen and intoxicant of the adult and the elderly - who were its main users in terms of age demographics. A cannabis user probably faces the most opposition from the elderly within the family - besides the spouse, children and relatives - because the elderly are firmly entrenched in the delusion that cannabis is evil, and that alcohol, tobacco and the synthetic prescription medicines are good. This is the result of decades of anti-cannabis propaganda that they themselves have helped to create and strengthen. A report states that Duane Thomas, the cannabis using US NFL legend did not have it easy getting his mother to use cannabis for medical purposes, 'When his mom got sick, her appetite just wasn’t there and the doctors who were trying to get her to eat wanted to prescribe cannabis. However, as many others in her generation, Mrs. Thomas still thought of the plant as a dangerous drug — and her response was to succinctly decline the prescription. "Well, I’m not smoking no reefer!," Thomas recalls his mother’s stern response to the doctor’s offer. Although today he remembers his mom’s reply with laughter, it was certainly no laughing matter at the time. The “prescribed cannabis experience,” however, had a significant impact on Thomas’ perception of the plant. He now knew about its medicinal benefits and felt like something had to change in the world.' I have experienced this resistance to healing medicine first hand. When my father was suffering from advanced stage pancreatic cancer, and while his body and mind were being ravaged by the barrages of chemotherapy prescribed by modern medicine, my brother and I suggested that my father use cannabis to ease his suffering. We even showed him a newspaper article one day citing the very doctors who were treating him saying that cannabis is beneficial for handling the side effects of chemotherapy. My father did not say anything, probably since he had grown up in a generation that viewed cannabis as an evil drug. He died a few months after that, writhing in pain and barely able to get up from his bed in the days preceding his death. I have thought, many times after that, that I should have just given him some cannabis without waiting for him to ask. But then, the freedom bridge between us had not reached its full maturity at that time. Even today, the most serious opposition to my cannabis usage is my elderly mother, who simply refuses to look at the evidence and closes her ears when I start talking about cannabis. Digging one's grave as one goes along is one way to put this. On the other hand, I know of elderly cannabis smokers who have been harassed by their spouses and children and in-laws for their lifelong cannabis usage, with family members saying that it brought disrepute to the family.
Society has banished the elderly from its gods as much as it has banished women. How many images of an aged deity have you seen in your life? Most images of deities show them as youthful creatures. Yes, there are the bearded images of the Greek gods, but even they seem to indicate ages under, or around, sixty. The images of a youthful and middle aged Siva, and the images of a bearded Jove or Jehovah seem to indicate that he appeared in his younger days in the Indian subcontinent, and later in life in the regions of Greece and the Middle East. The stigmatization of the elderly is so high today that the elderly dye their hair to appear young, and to fit into society. Even if an elderly person does not wish to maintain a youthful appearance, their children compel them to do so, saying that they are ashamed to be seen with an old person. My mother once told me that the grey and white hair on one's head is the crown that nature gives to a person for a well-lived life. Today, we find the elderly not only coloring their hair to look young, they also attempt to copy the lifestyles of the young with scant regard to their biological limitations. Our film industry only reinforces the stigma against the elderly. Typically, the hero never ages in Indian commercial movies, especially if he enjoys superstar status with legions of gibbering fools ready to even die for him. So, even as the woman who played his heroine in the early days, slowly morphs into his mother, and sometimes even his grandmother, the hero with wig or hair dye continues to play the role of young man just out of college. As I watch to see if the tottering old fool will break any bones doing his pelvic thrusts and playing superman, mobs of raucous fans whistle and cheer him on as he chases the girl to get her and does action scenes in slow motion.
“I knew they were going to be after me, but you can’t let them determine your life,” he said of his 1971 release from prison for possession of two joints.
About 9:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor with a happy line of hundreds wrapped around the block, Sinclair made what was likely the first-ever licensed recreational retail marijuana sale in Michigan.'
- MLive News
Life, if it is allowed to complete its cycle naturally and ripen to old age, comes full circle. The very old are very much like the very young. They need the tender, loving care that one provides a child, and the older a person gets, the closer he or she comes to infancy. The mind becomes as open as that of a baby's, and the body becomes as fragile as that of a baby's. The elderly, therefore, need the kind of care and attention that one provides for a little child. If one provides the tender care for an elderly person, and if one is blessed to be at the side of an elderly person - who has ripened naturally to old age - when he or she dies, then, I believe, something magical and mystical happens if the elderly person dies in peace in one's arms - a passing of the spiritual baton. This is much like the magical experience that one has when one holds a new-born baby in one's arms. One of the most important lessons, that many never learn, is that when one lives around an elderly person, one learns how to age and die gracefully. By not being around an elderly person and watching them age and die naturally, one never learns fully how to age and die gracefully oneself. We can see - from persons who have lost either one or both their parents at a young age - that when they grow old they try to continue to live like how they did when they were young. The person who has lost a parent or both at a young age has no choice. If he or she is lucky, there may be another elderly person close by from whom they can watch and learn the valuable art of dying that is not taught anywhere else, but in the school of lived experience.
Society, in general, is future facing. The adult has no time for the aged. The adult's focus is on the young, that is if the adult can manage to think beyond himself or herself, which itself is rarely the case. The systems we build, and the structures we create are all aligned mostly to our own needs. The very young, being on the threshold of life, learn quite quickly to adapt to the changing systems and structures, since their survival in this world depend on it and their life energies are on the rise. For the very old, on the threshold of death, their energies are dissipating and they find it very hard to cope with the accelerating changes that they have been adapted to throughout their lives. Most people have no patience with the elderly since all their patience has been expended on their young. So, it is quite common to find that the elderly are completely neglected, as the middle aged adult chooses between the young and the old in whatever time remains after the near total pursuit of wealth, social and economic status, and winning the rat race. What most people do not realise is that how a person treats the elderly within the family is finally the fate of that person when he or she reaches old age, because the children are watching and constantly learning from the parent. When one sees one's parents neglecting their own parents and striving to amass wealth, one does the same when one reaches adulthood. As is nearly always the case, the parent is constantly pushing the child to earn more money than anybody else, prioritizing this over everything else. So is it any wonder that given a choice between looking after one's aged parents and following a career path that leads one far away from the elderly - with the promise of more money - most people choose to take the latter. This is quite often what their own parents did, and so it becomes the default option for the child.
As a result of this way of thinking being predominant in society, we find that the elderly are left behind, living by themselves and having to take care of their own needs. In affluent families, the elderly have all the money and luxuries that come with it, but they will most likely die alone in a big sprawling house wondering why their children are not beside them when they depart. There is sometimes a paid care giver - if the elderly person is that lucky - otherwise, some neighbour or passerby will discover the dead elderly person, hopefully before the body itself has completely decayed. With the poor, the elderly person might die on the streets of starvation and illness when he or she has been pushed out to by children who feel that the elderly person is an economic burden. More than the number of abandoned children in this world, I think there are abandoned elderly persons. And this is not just among the poor, but also among relatively well off people who do not want to waste their money on someone who they know is anyway going to die soon. Quite often, the middle aged adult is waiting for the elderly to die so that whatever money and possessions the elderly has can be seized.
The aged suffer from a whole range of problems that are related to their deteriorating bodies and minds. Decreased digestive powers, failing eyesight and hearing, loss of teeth, weight issues, inability to sleep, age related ailments like dementia, arthritis and amnesia, chronic pain, depression, stress, anxiety, immobility, injuries from falls and accidents, are all conditions that affect the elderly. With our current lifestyles we can now add cancer, obesity, domestic violence, increasing crime against elders including financial crimes, etc., also to the problems facing the elderly.
What do we, as a society, do for the elderly? Not much, if you ask me. Our social and economic infrastructure and systems are designed in such a way that the elderly are left out. Almost everything we create does not have the elderly in mind, much like it does not have the disabled in mind. In terms of healthcare, the elderly have the same harmful synthetic prescription medicines that the middle aged adult has. In terms of intoxication, the elderly have the same alcohol and tobacco that the middle aged adult has. While all these means of health and intoxication are not so damaging for the healthy middle aged adult, they can be quite devastating for the elderly. The elderly have been through a lifelong abuse of their bodies and minds by these toxins that have made most of their biological systems highly vulnerable and dependent. But they have no choice. If they have the money, they will continue down the path of these legal toxins till their bodies and minds collapse. If they don't have the money, then they will just need to endure patiently the pain and suffering of old age, minus even these drugs provided by society, waiting for death to provide the final release.
It is not that the elderly are entirely free of blame. As I said, these systems are in place because the very people who are the elderly now had a key role to play in putting these systems in place. They have pursued wealth, clung to it, and strengthened the current landscape of medicine and intoxicant, doing all this when they were younger and stronger, neglecting their own elderly, until one fine day they wake up to find out that now they themselves are old, and there is no escape from these traps that they themselves have helped to create. By saying that cannabis must be prohibited because it harms the young - which itself is not true - the elderly have deprived themselves of the medicine, entheogen and intoxicant of the adult and the elderly - who were its main users in terms of age demographics. A cannabis user probably faces the most opposition from the elderly within the family - besides the spouse, children and relatives - because the elderly are firmly entrenched in the delusion that cannabis is evil, and that alcohol, tobacco and the synthetic prescription medicines are good. This is the result of decades of anti-cannabis propaganda that they themselves have helped to create and strengthen. A report states that Duane Thomas, the cannabis using US NFL legend did not have it easy getting his mother to use cannabis for medical purposes, 'When his mom got sick, her appetite just wasn’t there and the doctors who were trying to get her to eat wanted to prescribe cannabis. However, as many others in her generation, Mrs. Thomas still thought of the plant as a dangerous drug — and her response was to succinctly decline the prescription. "Well, I’m not smoking no reefer!," Thomas recalls his mother’s stern response to the doctor’s offer. Although today he remembers his mom’s reply with laughter, it was certainly no laughing matter at the time. The “prescribed cannabis experience,” however, had a significant impact on Thomas’ perception of the plant. He now knew about its medicinal benefits and felt like something had to change in the world.' I have experienced this resistance to healing medicine first hand. When my father was suffering from advanced stage pancreatic cancer, and while his body and mind were being ravaged by the barrages of chemotherapy prescribed by modern medicine, my brother and I suggested that my father use cannabis to ease his suffering. We even showed him a newspaper article one day citing the very doctors who were treating him saying that cannabis is beneficial for handling the side effects of chemotherapy. My father did not say anything, probably since he had grown up in a generation that viewed cannabis as an evil drug. He died a few months after that, writhing in pain and barely able to get up from his bed in the days preceding his death. I have thought, many times after that, that I should have just given him some cannabis without waiting for him to ask. But then, the freedom bridge between us had not reached its full maturity at that time. Even today, the most serious opposition to my cannabis usage is my elderly mother, who simply refuses to look at the evidence and closes her ears when I start talking about cannabis. Digging one's grave as one goes along is one way to put this. On the other hand, I know of elderly cannabis smokers who have been harassed by their spouses and children and in-laws for their lifelong cannabis usage, with family members saying that it brought disrepute to the family.
Society has banished the elderly from its gods as much as it has banished women. How many images of an aged deity have you seen in your life? Most images of deities show them as youthful creatures. Yes, there are the bearded images of the Greek gods, but even they seem to indicate ages under, or around, sixty. The images of a youthful and middle aged Siva, and the images of a bearded Jove or Jehovah seem to indicate that he appeared in his younger days in the Indian subcontinent, and later in life in the regions of Greece and the Middle East. The stigmatization of the elderly is so high today that the elderly dye their hair to appear young, and to fit into society. Even if an elderly person does not wish to maintain a youthful appearance, their children compel them to do so, saying that they are ashamed to be seen with an old person. My mother once told me that the grey and white hair on one's head is the crown that nature gives to a person for a well-lived life. Today, we find the elderly not only coloring their hair to look young, they also attempt to copy the lifestyles of the young with scant regard to their biological limitations. Our film industry only reinforces the stigma against the elderly. Typically, the hero never ages in Indian commercial movies, especially if he enjoys superstar status with legions of gibbering fools ready to even die for him. So, even as the woman who played his heroine in the early days, slowly morphs into his mother, and sometimes even his grandmother, the hero with wig or hair dye continues to play the role of young man just out of college. As I watch to see if the tottering old fool will break any bones doing his pelvic thrusts and playing superman, mobs of raucous fans whistle and cheer him on as he chases the girl to get her and does action scenes in slow motion.
As I said earlier, the elderly should teach the younger generations the art of dying. Unfortunately today, they teach the art of dyeing instead. By driving away, or running away from, ageing as a natural process in the elderly in our own lives, we lose the precious lessons that we could have learnt from them. Most people today have distanced themselves willingly from the elderly, so that when it is their turn to age and die, they are clueless how to go about it. They instead try to copy the young, and try to create an image of youthfulness that is far removed from reality. Most people die pretending, and fooling themselves, that they are still young. This is a cycle that repeats itself with each generation these days, so much so that we can say that the world has more or less lost the art of dying because death from old age is not acknowledged as a reality. That is why we see persons clinging to positions in society that they have lost the capabilities of handling a long time ago. Our political leaders are a prime example. I read in the newspapers the term for this - gerontocracy. It means not relinquishing one's position in society with age and withdrawing into the most important task of slowing down and preparing for the ultimate encounter with one's best friend and lifelong companion - death. This gerontocracy is quite evident within the family as well. The head of the house finds it very difficult to hand over the reins to the next generation on reaching old age, resulting in conflict within the family as the next generation finds it frustrating to not be able to take over the reins that they are fully capable of handling. This is among the primary reasons for violence against the aged and the wishes of many that the elderly would just die. One needs to have a retirement age in all aspects of society. There is an optimum time to step aside and let the next generation take over the business of running life, and for one to start focusing on the business of death. Many people neglect this until death comes knocking inevitably one day. Then what is left behind is a mess that the surviving members of the family need to figure out and learn to sort out, leading to family feuds and great ill-will among the descendants.
The perception among the vast number of ignorant people in society that the elderly should not smoke cannabis - and that doing so will not only make them very high but will also make them objects of ridicule - is summed up by Hunter S Thompson, in his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, where he describes a talk in which a so-called scientific expert is addressing law enforcement officers at a anti-cannabis seminar. He writes 'Here were more than a thousand top-level cops telling each other "we must come to terms with the drug culture," but they had no idea where to start. They couldn't even find the goddamn thing. There were rumours in the hallways that maybe the Mafia was behind it. Or perhaps the Beatles. At one point somebody in the audience asked Bloomquist if he thought Margaret Mead's "strange behavior," of late, might possibly be explained by a private marijuana addiction. "I really don't know," Bloomquist replied. "But at her age, if she did smoke grass, she'd have one hell of a trip." The audience roared with laughter at this remark.'
Before cannabis was banned in 19th century India, the elderly had it as an aid in their old age, besides the poorest sections of society. It was found that nearly 30% of the adult population consumed cannabis, and that once a person started using it, it was for life. While men started using it around the ages of 18 to 21, women usually started using it once they reached middle age. This late start for women was most probably due to the fact that it took them that much more time to be able to stand up to patriarchal societies and prioritize their needs in the face of a male-dominated society that viewed a cannabis using woman as immoral. The spiritual mendicant class were extensive consumers. We can safely say that most of these mendicants would be closer to old age than to youth, as it was common to renounce the world once one reached the stage in life when one was finished with family responsibilities. The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95 posed question 30. (b) - Is it mainly confined to the male sex or to any time of life? - to its respondents. In response, there was extensive evidence that showed that persons smoked cannabis in their old age. Mr. E. V. Westmacott, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal, said 'Males over forty.' Mr. H. G. Cooke, Officiating Commissioner, Orissa Division, said, 'All drugs are used mainly by the male sex, and chiefly by the middle-aged and old.' Mr. A. C. Tute, Magistrate and Collector of Dinajpur, said, 'They are used by adults and old men.' Mr. L. Hare, Magistrate and Collector of Muzaffarpur, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex in youth and old age.' Mr. H. F. T. Maguire, Magistrate and Collector of Khulna, said, 'I have seen ganja-smokers of any age from 20 upwards.' Mr. N. K. Bose, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Noakhali, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex and to ages ranging from 25 to 60 years.' Mr. E. H. C. Walsh, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Cuttack, said, 'The three drugs are chiefly consumed by males, and more by the old than by young men.' Babu Gobind Chandra Basak, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Brahmanbaria, Tippera District, said, 'Bhang is consumed also by old men.' Maulavi Abdus Samad, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Purulia, Manbhum, said, 'Ganja is ordinarily consumed by people above thirty years of age.' Babu Kanti Bhushan Sen, Baidya, Special Excise Deputy Collector of Cuttack, said, 'Generally, persons advanced in years consume them.' Babu Suresh Chundra Bal, Baidya, Special Excise Deputy Collector, Howrah, said, 'It is confined to the male sex between the ages of twenty and sixty.' Babu Kali Das Mukerji, Sub-Deputy Collector and Superintendent of Distillery, Serampore, Hughli, said, 'These drugs are, however, generally consumed both by the young and the old.' Babu Hara Gopal Dutta, Kayasth, Retired Excise Daroga, Mymensingh, said, 'Ganja and bhang are generally taken by adults and old men.' Surgeon-Major R. Cobb, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca, said, 'They are generally used in middle and advanced life. About 70 per cent. of persons addicted to these drugs are middle-aged or old.' Assistant Surgeon Bosonto Kumar Sen, in Civil Medical Charge, Bogra, said, 'It is used principally in youth and old age.' Assistant Surgeon Preonath Bose, Teacher of Materia Medica and Practical Pharmacy, Dacca, said, 'Mainly confined to the male sex to middle and old age.' Durga Nath Chakravarti, Brahmin, in charge of Tangail Dispensary, Mymensing, said, 'Use of bhang is restricted here only among adults and old people.' Rai Radha Govinda Rai, Sahib Bahadur, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur, said, 'The use of ganja and bhang is mainly confined to the male sex, and they are used by adults and old men.' Babu Rughu Nandan Prasadha, Zamindar, Patna, 'There is no particular time of life to which the use of the drugs is confined; they are used from adolescence to extreme old age.' M. Kazi Rayaz-Ud-Din Mahamed, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera, said, 'Habitual consumers also smoke ganja when old.' Babu Nobo Gopal Bose Rai Chowdhoory, Kayasth, Talukdar and Judge's Court Pleader (late Munsiff of Nator), Memari, Burdwan District, said, 'This vice begins with a man in his youth. But once commenced, it continues up to the old age.' Babu Kamal Kanta Sen, Kayasth, Zamindar and Pleader, President of the Chittagong Association, said, 'Adults and old people use the drugs.' Jadu Ram Borooah, Assamese Kayasth, Local Board Member; Pensioned Overseer, Public Works Department, Dibrugarh, said, 'It is confined to male only, to whole time of his life.' Mir Zamin Ali, Pensioned Hospital Assistant, Jabalpur, said, 'These things are mainly confined to males of riper age.' Mr. G. Stokes, Collector of Salem, said, 'The practice is confined to the male sex and above the middle period of life.' Colonel H. S. Elton, Commandant, 16th Regiment, Madras Infantry, Bellary, said, 'From manhood to death.' Surgeon-Major S. C. Sarkies, District Surgeon, Nellore, said, 'I have noticed the habit prevailing more amongst elderly men than amongst the young.' Mr. K. C. Manavedan Raja, Collector, Anantapur, said, 'The consumption is generally in company and confined to the male sex without regard to limit of age after boyhood.' M. Etheragulu Pillay, Land-owner, Bezwada, Kistna District, said, 'Male sex, middle and old aged people.' Rev. H. J. Goffin, Missionary, Kadiri, Cuddapah District, said, 'Generally speaking, the middle-aged and old use it most.' Abdul Khader, Agent of the Ganja Shopkeeper, Rajahmundry, said, 'The use of it is confined to persons between manhood and old age.' Mr. C. G. Dodgson, Assistant Magistrate and Collector, Khandesh, 'The use is chiefly confined to the male sex and to men well on in years.' Khan Sahib Nasarvanji Edalji Sethna, Parsi, Abkari Inspector, Satara, said, 'Ganja is generally smoked by persons over the age of twenty-five up to any time in advanced life. Similarly ghota and dudhia are drunk by males of like age.' Assistant Surgeon B. H. Nanavatty, Parsi, and Teacher of Surgery and Midwifery, Medical School, Ahmedabad, said, 'Ganja smoking is usually practised by the males, adults, middle-aged, and the old.' Hospital Assistant Sudashio Wamon, Brahmin, Mansa, Mahikantha, said, '[It] is mainly confined to the male sex in youth and old age, and not in infancy.'
Speaking about a number of elderly smokers coming from the spiritual mendicant classes, Mr. L. C. Miller, Acting Collector of Trichinopoly, said, 'Beggars and fakirs commence taking it at a very early age and continue through life. Other classes do not usually become habitual consumers till middle age, though they take it at all ages medicinally.' Hospital Assistant Rajan Lokajee, Máli Telgu, Thana, said, 'Among gosavis, they use the articles throughout the whole life.'
Reporting on the habit becoming lifelong once contracted, several witnesses gave evidence before the Hemp Commission. This, to me, is another indication of the benefits of cannabis even as one increases in age. Some would argue that this is an indication of addiction, but there is vast evidence before the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, and corroborated by the latest science, to show that it was not addictive. From decades of personal experience I can tell you that cannabis is as addictive as tea or coffee, with the discomfort that one feels from its absence being similar to that experienced when one has to forgo the daily beverage. Just as a person who has contracted the habit of drinking tea or coffee daily would not like to forgo the habit lifelong, similarly a cannabis user would not like to forgo the habit till the end of life, if possible. This cannot be labelled as addiction. I would rather call it practicing healthy habits lifelong. Babu Ganganath Roy, Kayasth, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Chittagong, said, 'The habit is contracted in the prime of life and is seldom given up.' Babu Gour Das Bysack, Retired Deputy Collector, Calcutta, said 'those who begin at an early age cannot shake off the habit at any time of their lives.' Anandi Pershad, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad, said, 'All the abovementioned drugs are commenced from the beginning of the age of puberty, and when they have become slaves to them, they are obliged to continue them till their old age. Some persons leave them also.' Khushali Ram, Honorary Magistrate, Chhindwara, 'If a man begins he never leaves off.' Chandi Pershad, Brahmin, Malguzar, and President, Municipal Committee, Chanda, 'It is generally begun in youth, but once begun is continued to old age.' R. Saminatha Iyer, Brahmin, Acting Deputy Tahsildar, Coonoor, said, 'They are said to be consumed generally by Muhammadans at the age of about forty years till the end of their lives.' Hospital Assistant Chinny Sreenivasa Rau, Prapanna Komity, L. F. Hospital, Bobbili Vizagapatam District, said, 'When the habit is once contracted, it is continued lifelong.' Mr. Ry. V. Venkatarao Iyer, Brahman, Managar, Ettayapuram Estate, Tinnevelly District, said, 'Even old people continue to use the drug.' E. Subramana Iyer, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, Conjevaram, Chingleput District, said, 'If once practised, the consumer is constrained to use it till the end of his life.' Ganjam Vencataratnam, Brahmin, 1st Grade Pleader, Coconada, Godavery District, said, 'Once a person gets into the habit, it is difficult for him to give it up at any time of life, and it becomes a life-long habit.' Mr. E. J. Ebden, Collector, Ahmednagar, said, 'The practice is chiefly confined to the male sex, is often acquired at the age of 15 and carried on through life.' Rao Bahadur Lallubhai Gorbhandas, Vania, Huzur Deputy Collector, Nasik, said, 'A man leaves off bhang generally in old age ; but a ganja smoker continues to smoke it till death.' Rao Bahadur Sitaram Damodar, Huzur Deputy Collector, Khandesh, said, 'It is very seldom that a man below the age of 25 takes to these habits; but when once the habit is formed, it generally does not leave them till death.' Mr. T. G. Foard, Superintendent of Police, Cambay, said, 'The habit of smoking ganja, when once acquired, is usually continued till death. There are exceptional cases in which people have broken off the habit.' Ramchandra Krishna Kothavale, Brahmin, Inamdur, Taluka Wai, in Satara District, said, 'But ganja is smoked till death by people who are once given to it.' Nawalchand Heerachand, Jeweller, Bombay, said, 'Men commence to drink when they are 20 years of age, and they continue doing so to old age.' Elijah Benhamin, Jew, First Class Hospital Assistant, Shikarpur, said, 'Yes, it is chiefly confined to male sex and up to life.'
There is also evidence before the Hemp Commission that shows women consumed cannabis as they grew older. While many drank it as bhang, there were also women who smoked it as ganja. Patriarchal society, and the upper classes and castes did not hesitate to instantly label the older women who smoked ganja as belonging to the lower classes and castes. This shows that even if the usage of cannabis was more widespread than reported among women, they would have strove to keep it secret, given the social stigmatization that they faced if their cannabis usage was discovered. My theory is that this behavior by women was something that happened in the preceding few centuries before the 19th century. It was during the period leading up to the 19th century that the upper classes and castes stamped their class and caste superiority on the indigenous communities of India, as they strengthened the class and caste hierarchy that they had brought into India along with their Vedic religions, Vaishnavism, and other male dominated religions like Jainism and Buddhism. I suspect that 3000 years back - before these newer religions and social systems established themselves - there was no stigma associated with women using cannabis. One must also remember that the entire set of witnesses who responded to the questions of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95 were males belonging to the ruling classes, upper classes and upper castes. Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, ' Ganja-consumption is generally confined to the male sex as well as to old females of the lower classes — Bedias, prostitutes, baishnavis, old fish-women, chandal women, etc...' Babu Rajani Prasad Neogy, Excise Deputy Collector, Mymensingh, said, 'The prostitutes begin to indulge in the drug when they are advanced in years.' M. Kazi Rayaz-Ud-Din Mahamed, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera, said, 'Bhang is also taken by old women of Hindu sect, bairagi.' Babu Nobin Chandra Sarkar, Kayasth, Wholesale and retail vendor of ganja and bhang, Barisal, 'Ganja is generally used in company by men and sometimes by prostitutes and baistabs, after attaining the age of 20 up to old age.' Bishun Chandra Chattopadhay, Pleader, Dhubri, said, 'Females, old and degraded, are occasionally seen to indulge in ganja-smoking.' Mr. R. Giles, Collector, Shikarpur, said, 'Women never drink it until they are growing old.' Assistant Surgeon, Edward Mackenzie, Manora, Karachi, Sind, said, 'in women the elderly, in men the young adults, in the former from acquired habit, in the latter for immoral purposes.' Rev. A. E. Ball, Missionary, Church Missionary Society, Karachi, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex, though a fair number of the older women drink bhang.' Pribhdas Shewakram Advani, Secretary, Band of Hope, Hyderabad, Sind, said, 'Old females also use bhang.' Mr. G. Bennett, Abkari Inspector, Ajmere, said, 'Drugs are used, both private and public, by both sexes throughout life.' More than one friend has told me about their grandmothers placing a small black ball of cannabis - which they called 'karuppu' - in their mouths so that the juices were released gradually, much like people place wads of tobacco or betel leaves and nuts. This appears to definitely have been a practice in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. To me this sounds like cannabis resin - hashish or charas - that these ladies were able to obtain. This also indicates that the South Indian varieties were quite resinous and handling the ganja flowers enabled people to obtain enough charas for a small ball. For many of the people working in the fields cultivating ganja, this was often the reward for a day's work paid instantaneously by Nature. Even though the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission's report states that the usage of charas in most parts of India was minimal, I think this is more like regarding charas as a product created in the Himalayas or imported from Yarkhand. In most places throughout the country, I believe, the usage of charas was prevalent, but in such small quantities periodically that it escaped the eye of the investigator. The ganja itself was so good that the people did not feel the need to stress on the resin or charas as a separate product or drug. Today, Indians view charas as an even more dangerous drug than ganja - and bhang as a harmless drug - when bhang, ganja and charas are equivalent to milk, curd and ghee, or it put it another way - coconut milk, the kernel and oil.
A number of witnesses reported to the Hemp Commission that the quantity consumed increased steadily with age, though some older persons were known to reduce dosage with increasing age. To me, this is another indicator of the safety of cannabis, that one can increase dosage over time without suffering adverse effects. Most persons were however habitual moderate users with excessive users being in the range of 5-10%. Among these excessive users, it was found that a large number were spiritual mendicants, who enjoyed great health despite so-called excessive usage, further corroborating the fact that cannabis, even if used in excess, is much less harmful than alcohol or opium. Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, 'They commence smoking when they are between twenty to thirty, and they cannot give up their habit; on the contrary, they have to increase their dose. As in other intoxicants it commences with the young people, and increases with age if they can afford to pay for it. In old age it decreases. Habitual consumption is generally steady, and does not increase to a great extent. Bhang - people learn to drink generally from twenty-five to thirty. The quantity increases with age.' B. Narayanamurty, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Ganjam, said, 'The use of these drugs is mainly confined to males after twenty years, and the habit grows with age.' Mr. R. Giles, Collector, Shikarpur, said, 'Young men acquire the habit, but as a rule the consumption increases with age.' Giving evidence of the moderate habitual use of cannabis in old age, P. C. Anunthacharlu, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, and Government Pleader, Bellary, said, 'Old people ordinarily take three times a day.' Showing evidence of the awareness of the people even then of the harms of excessive alcohol use, as compared to cannabis, Babu Surendra Nath Pal Chowdhury, Zamindar, Ranaghat, District Nadia, said, 'but in the cases of excessive drunkards, they having given up the use of alcohol, use ganja or bhang excessively even at an advanced age.' Evidence of the view among the upper classes and castes that opium was less harmful than cannabis can be found in the evidence of Anandi Pershad, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad, who said, 'Nobody begins their use [of cannabis] in old age because they are injurious in that age. They no doubt generally begin to use opium in the old age.' Rao Bahadur Venkat Rango Katti, Pensioner, Dharwar, said, 'The habit of smoking begins with youth and grows to its utmost in old age.'
Even though the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission did not ask questions specifically aimed at understanding the medical uses of cannabis in the elderly, a number of witnesses spoke about it in their responses to Questions 40, 41 and 42 posed by the Commission. Speaking about the medical benefits of consuming cannabis at an advanced age, Mr. F. H. Tucker, District Superintendent of Police, Dinajpur, said, 'Bhang is mostly drunk at declining age when men become susceptible to attacks of diarrhœa.' Chodisetty Venkatarutnum, Merchant, Coconada, Godavari District, said, 'Old people generally use it because it nerves the body of a man.' Jati Amar Hansa, Baid, Ajmere, said, 'In old age some people use bhang with some cathartics.' Mr. E. V. WestmacottT, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal, said, 'I speak of moderate habitual smoking of ganja by laborious men past middle age living a life of exposure on a mud soil. I think it beneficial under such conditions.' MR. E. H. C. Walsh, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Cuttack, said, '[It] is believed to be good for old people on account of its being digestive.' Mr. W. Maxwell, Sub-Divisional Officer, Jhenidah, District Jessore, said, 'Ganja pills are given to old people for impotency.' Babu Pran Kumar Das, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector and Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of Burdwan, said, 'One of my old servants, a habitual ganja smoker, suffers often from diarrhœa with a tendency to dysentery. He is a moderate smoker.' Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, 'The moderate use of ganja and bhang is beneficial, and it is harmless too. Veteran ganja smokers can live up to the ripe old age of 80 years, and they do not complain of its harmful effects.' Rai Kamalapati Ghosal Bahadur, Brahmin, Pensioner, SubRegistrar and Zamindar, 24-Parganas, said, 'As far as I know siddhi or bhang has some digestive quality, and a moderate occasional use of it does good to those who suffer from bowel complaints and some moderate consumers take it on occasion of festivals, &c., for the sake of pleasure and for taking more quantity of food than usual. This practice is followed more by some of the young men of the upper class chiefly, and not by men of advanced ages unless they be habitual moderate consumers of the siddhi drug or suffering from some bowel complaints. The number of these men is not very great.' Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel W. Flood Murray, Civil Surgeon, Shahabad, said, 'When taken very moderately, and when a man takes plenty of good food and otherwise lives in accordance with the laws of health, it would appear to be practically harmless, if we may judge by the number who indulge in the habit and compare their physique with those who do not. I append herewith the statements of those prisoners in Arrah Jail, who allow that they smoke ganja. Ganja-Smoking. Ramlal Bari.—Aged 69 years, smoked ganja twice a day...Gopi Sing.—Sixty years of age, smoked ganja twice daily for three years : so long as he took good food was no worse. His digestion was improved.' Maharaja Girihanath Roy Bahadur, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur, said, 'old and dyspeptic people use it to facilitate digestion. I refer to moderate habitual and occasional use.' Babu Beprodas Banerjee, Brahman, Pleader, Newspaper Editor, and Chairman, Baraset Municipality, said, '"Smoke ganja moderately and you may live for three hundred years," says another ancient physician...Moderate use of opium and bhang leads to longevity. This is seen and known throughout the country. The tone of the system remains the same.' Chintamani Nand Vidya Bhushana, Uria Brahmin, late Tahsildar, Sonepur, Sambalpur, said, 'As to the use of ganja, the following has been prescribed in the treatise on medicine on account of its medicinal qualities. The names " bhanga, ganja matulâni, madini bijayâ, jaya, and shakrâsana " are given to this drug. Bhanga is destructive of asthma; costive, digestive; productive of "pitta," stupefaction or intoxication. It is light, sharp, warm, produces activity in speech, increases appetite, destroys leprosy, creates strength, furthers sense, and in its constant practice it allays the effects of old age and diseases; makes the body long lasting. One more name " trilokya vijayâ" is given to it, and it is mixed with many sorts of medicines, such as modaka (pills), chûrna (powders), and is also mixed with "bhasmâs," such as banga, etc., in order to reduce it to ashes. If regularly used, according to the Shâstras, it keeps the state of youth firm.' Apothecary George Murphy, Civil Surgeon, Mandla, said, 'The moderate use of ganja and bhang is practically harmless. Most of the very poor, who are constantly subjected to excessive exertion, insufficient food, and exposure to cold and damp, partake of the drugs from early youth to old age without developing any evil symptoms. Moderate consumers of the better classes also show no signs of bodily nor mental decay.' Assistant Surgeon, J. E. Bocarro, Lecturer, Medical School, Hyderabad (Sind), said, 'Compared with such intoxicants as opium or alcohol, or with its sister-products, charas and ganja, bhang may certainly be said to be harmless when consumed in moderate quantities. The enervating effects of charas and ganja are absent in bhang. Its harmlessness appears best en evidence in those who have used the drug over periods varying from 15 to 40 years, and have, notwithstanding, lived to a ripe old age. In my notes of 150 cases and upwards, fully two-thirds are over the age of 40, a good many have attained the age of 50, and not a few even 60 years and more. I have personally examined a large number of those between the ages of 40 and 60 years, and have found them to be not only sound in all their internal organs, but also of good bodily frame. Further, what might appear to be a strange thing is that most of them have even preserved good vision. Cataractous condition of the lens is, I observe, an uncommon thing among those who take bhang in moderation. In the case mentioned under section 31 ante, the individual possessed excellent visual power for his age.' Pesumal Narumal, Farmer and Merchant, Hyderabad, said, 'Old persons use bhang for aiding the powers of digestion.' Dr. O. W. Jones, Civil Surgeon, Basim, said, 'There are men who have been in the habit of smoking ganja from adult to old age, and have not bodily suffered in any way, but give it as their experience that moderate smoking has often removed fatigues and stayed the pangs of hunger.'
We do, however, see in some of the evidence before the Hemp Commission by the members of the ruling upper classes and castes the bias towards bhang and the bias against ganja and charas that was gradually built up through anti-ganja propaganda. If bhang is beneficial, then so is ganja and charas because all three are the products of the same cannabis plant - its leaves, flowers and resin - containing the same cannabinoids. Concentrations of cannabinoids may definitely be greater in ganja and charas than in bhang, but the consumer balances this out by consuming much larger quantities of bhang, as compared to ganja and charas. Modern science validates the evidence that cannabis is beneficial to the elderly through numerous studies. None of these modern studies differentiate or discriminate between bhang, ganja and charas, but treat all three equally reflecting the better understanding that has been gained by science in more recent times, unlike in the past where the ruling upper classes and castes viewed bhang - that they themselves used - as harmless and beneficial, and ganja and charas - used by the lower classes and castes - as harmful and disreputable.
Today, in places where cannabis has been legalized for medical or recreational use, the elderly comprise the fastest growing age demographic of cannabis users. The elderly are replacing synthetic pharmaceutical drugs, including opioids, with cannabis to treat various aging relation health conditions such as anxiety, arthritis, stress, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, for digestion, pain and insomnia, cancer, diabetes, dementia, to name a few. Corroborating what the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission found in 1894-95, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020 says, 'Increases in the proportion of daily users of cannabis were observed mainly among males, young people aged 18–24 and those aged 65 and older.' There is changing perception among the elderly regarding cannabis. NORML reports that 'A team of researchers affiliated with the University of California, San Diego assessed the attitudes of older Americans (ages 65 and older) in a nationally representative cohort of 18,794 adults. They reported that the percentage of older adults “who believe that people who smoke cannabis once or twice a week are at great risk of harming themselves physically and in other ways” had decreased nearly 20 percent between the years 2015 and 2019. The study’s finding is consistent with data showing a significant uptick in self-reported cannabis use by older Americans and seniors. Most recently, data from Washington state reported that 25 percent of women and 38 percent of men ages 50 and older had used cannabis within the past year, up from 15 percent and 23 percent just two year earlier.' Many elderly persons are switching to cannabis use on their own i.e. they are self medicating after hearing about its benefits from others in their community. Physicians, in general, belong to the reefer madness generation, or are staunch supporters of the synthetic pharma industry from whom they get vast benefits. In some places, it is for fear of losing their licenses. So, in most places, the physician is unlikely to recommend cannabis. The decision to use cannabis as medicine is usually taken solely by the elderly patient. Marijuana Moment reports that '“Although some respondents had a prescription for marijuana, most purchased it without a prescription for a variety of medical conditions common to primary care (pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia), the study authors wrote. “Thus, in states with recreationally available marijuana, older adults may be using marijuana in addition to their prescribed regimens, so it is important to inquire about marijuana use regardless of age.”'
Today, where cannabis has been legalized for medical and/or recreational purposes, it is primarily for its medical benefits that the elderly are consuming cannabis. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020 says, 'In the second and third quarters of 2019, 52 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 and older reported using cannabis for medical purposes (with or without proper documentation for such use).' On the overall benefits of cannabis usage in the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Older patients report experiencing better health and well-being following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal Drugs & Aging. British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in a cohort of patients ages 65 and older. (British specialists are permitted to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Study participants primarily suffered from chronic pain. Patients consumed cannabis products for three months. Consistent with the findings of other observational studies, older patients reported “significant improvements” following cannabis use, including “substantial reductions” in pain severity. The study’s authors concluded: “There were consistent improvements across measures of general health and well-being after three months of treatment. … These findings accord with a growing body of observational and real-world evidence from jurisdictions that have legalized medicinal cannabis that cannabis is effective for improving sleep, mood and quality of health across multiple primary conditions.”' NORML reports about another study, stating that, ''Investigators reported a “strong positive association” between subjects’ frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements in pain, health-care utilization, and overall health-related quality of life. Participants failed to report any statistically significant association between medical cannabis use and adverse events. They concluded: “[We] identified a strong positive association between higher frequency of cannabis use and improvement to HRQL and HCU [health-care utilization] scores. … Our regression modeling also identified a strong positive relationship between higher frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements to pain symptoms. The positive relationship between near-daily use and improved reports offers further evidence of the perceived value of medical cannabis as a therapeutic approach for pain management.”' Wiley Publications reports that 'Most older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression. Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.'
On the increasing number of the elderly who are consuming cannabis as medicine, replacing harmful and expensive synthetic prescription drugs, opioids, alcohol and tobacco, NORML reports that, 'According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Panel Study Annual Report, 21 percent 50-year-olds and 19 percent of 60-year-olds say that they have consumed cannabis during the past year. Those are the highest percentages ever reported by the survey. The survey’s findings are consistent with those of others reporting rising rates of cannabis use among older adults and seniors over the the past decade. Separate data published earlier this year found that most older adults possess positive perceptions about cannabis, and several recent studies show that marijuana use is typically associated with quality of life improvements in seniors. Commenting on the findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “It is not surprising that a rising percentage of adults consider cannabis to be a viable option in their later years. Many older adults struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep, and other conditions for which cannabis products often mitigate. Many older adults are also well aware of the litany of serious adverse side-effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they perceive medical cannabis to be a practical and potentially safer alternative.”' NBC reports in the US that 'The study looked at of three years of survey data, collected from 2016 to 2018, on cannabis use in 171,507 adults ages 55 and up from 19 states and two territories. Men ages 60 to 64 reported the highest rates of marijuana use, with 12.6 percent of those surveyed saying they used the drug in the past 30 days in 2018, up from 8.9 percent in 2016. Over the same time period, use also nearly doubled among men ages 65 to 69 (rising from 4.3 percent in 2016 to 8.2 percent in 2018) and among men ages 70 to 74 (from 3.2 percent to 6 percent). There was less change in the use among women.' MJBizDaily reported that 'Past-month cannabis use for Americans 65-69 years old increased between 2016 and 2018, from 4.3% to 8.2% for men and from 2.1% to 3.8% among women, according to a new report published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine.' NORML reported, in February 2020, that 'Cannabis use is increasing among those ages 65 and older, according to data published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers affiliated with the New York School of Medicine assessed trends in self-reported cannabis use among seniors. They reported that 4.2 percent of seniors acknowledged engaging in past-year cannabis consumption in 2018, up from 2.4 percent in 2015 and 0.4 percent in 2006. The study's findings are consistent with those of prior papers similarly reporting an uptick in marijuana use among older Americans. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, marijuana use among seniors is associated with self-reported improvements in pain management, day-to-day functioning, and in their overall health and quality of life' As early as in 2016, Science Daily had reported about the increasing use of cannabis as medicine among the elderly in New York state. It said. 'The authors found a 71% increase in marijuana use among adults aged 50 and older between 2006 and 2013. Adults ages 65 and older had a significantly lower prevalence of marijuana use compared to those ages 50-64, but prevalence of use increased two and a half times over eight years. Overall, prevalence was higher among men than women through all years. "We found only five percent of these older adults felt using marijuana once or twice a week was a great risk to their health" said Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, a CDUHR affiliated researcher and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYULMC.' Sage Publications reported that 'The greatest increase in marijuana use was observed among those in the older adult population 50 years or older, and those 65 years or older had the greatest increase in marijuana use in the older adult population. '
On the mental health benefits of cannabis for the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Older adults who reside within a 30-minute drive of a licensed medical cannabis dispensary report experiencing fewer days of poor mental health, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Researchers affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh and with John Hopkins University in Baltimore assessed whether proximity to medical cannabis dispensaries was associated with self-reported changes in adult’s mental health. They reported that local dispensaries were associated with “considerable mental health benefits for older adults.” Specifically, they determined, “[M]edical cannabis availability affected a 3.48 percentage point decrease in persons aged 65 and above reporting having any past-month poor mental health days, a nearly 10 percent decrease from a baseline of 36.3 percent.”' Wiley Publications reports that, 'These results suggest that use of whole plant MC does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of MC in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late-life cannabis use for brain health.' NORML reports on another study, that, 'Investigators identified “no significant differences in cognitive function” between the two groups. They wrote: “In this sample of individuals with neuropathic pain, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance between non-MC [medical cannabis] licensed and licensed patients, and evidence for lack of an association was stable and moderate. In addition, no significant associations of various aspects of MC use patterns, including THC/CBD concentration, frequency and length of use, dosage and length of abstinence with cognitive performance were detected. Moreover, both MC licensed and non-licensed patients performed relatively similar to a standardized population with no chronic pain.” Authors concluded: “More accepting public attitudes and policies related to cannabis use, in addition to increasing life expectancy, are expected to result in increasing numbers of middle- and old-aged individuals who use cannabis for long periods. Considering the accumulating evidence showing efficacy of cannabis use for multiple health conditions common in older individuals, the lack of adverse effects on the brain in the current sample of individuals with chronic pain who were older than 50 years can contribute to a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population.”'
On the benefits of cannabis use against cancer in the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Lifetime cannabis use is associated with lower rates of prostate cancer, according to observational data published in the journal Biomedicines. Researchers affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and prostate cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 2,503 participants. Investigators reported that subjects between the ages of 50 and 64 who identified as either current or former cannabis consumers possessed a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses. Scientists suggested that this finding provides “biological support for the anti-cancer effects of the constituents of marijuana.” Numerous preclinical trials have documented the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth. The study’s authors reported: “In this cross-sectional study of 2503 participants from the USA using the NSDUH [National Survey on Drug Use and Health] from 2002 to 2020, we observed that individuals who were former marijuana users had a significantly lower rate of self-reports of having PC [prostate cancer]. Additionally, the current marijuana users also trended towards lower self-reports of PC. … Specifically, among participants aged greater than 65 years, former marijuana use was linked to reduced self-reports of PC compared to never using.”' NORML reports in another study that 'Among cancer patients ages 65 or older, eight percent of tested positive for cannabis exposure. A separate study published in October in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that an estimated 25 percent of cancer patients self-report using cannabis medicinally, but that paper did not stratify respondents by age. “As one of the first studies to assess cannabis use via objective testing rather than self-report, this study adds significantly to the emerging literature on cannabis use in people aged 65 years and older,” researchers concluded. “Findings suggest the rate of use in older adults living with cancer is higher than that among older adults in the general population.”'
On the benefits of cannabis for sleep, High Times reports that 'The researchers found that overall, cannabis helped seniors get, on average, an 30 extra minutes of sleep. Those being studied used smartphones and actigraphy watches to log their sleep patterns, similar to the way sleep patterns are logged by smartwatch devices. The patients recorded when they fell asleep and woke up and if they took the watches off.'
Chronic pain is probably the one condition that most elderly have in common. So far, elderly who can afford it only have harmful opioids, NSAIDs, and alcohol to ease their pain. The devastating overdose deaths from opioids have not spared the elderly. I suspect that many of the elderly opioid and NSAID overdose deaths are under-reported with deaths finally attributed to other causes, such as respiratory, liver or kidney failure. There is also the stigma of opioid and NSAID addiction that family members do not want to be made public, and this is suppressed when it comes to opioid and NSAID overdose deaths among the elderly. In many cases, neither the elderly, nor their family members, recognize the signs of opioid and NSAID addiction in the elderly. The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), known until 2024 as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), reports that 'The reported number of overdose deaths is continually increasing among older age groups. While users aged over 40 years represented around one third of the deaths 10 years ago, they represented around half in 2017. Older people (over 50 years) represent a small proportion of all drug-induced deaths, but the number doubled between 2007 and 2017. This reflects the ageing nature of Europe’s opioid-using population in most countries. It is important because older high-risk drug users may be at the greatest risk of drug overdose death.' Studies have found that opioid tolerance is lower in the elderly, compared to the general population. It is especially lower for first time users, and users of high potency opioids like fentanyl. NCBI reports that 'When tolerance prevalence was stratified by age, patients 75 years and older were the least likely to show evidence of opioid tolerance when initiating OTOs [opioid-tolerant only medications], with only 6240 of 29362 episodes (21.3%) among patients 75 years and older occurring with evidence of prior tolerance; this was particularly evident with transdermal fentanyl, for which only 3601 of 26113 episodes (13.8%) among patients 75 years and older occurred with evidence of opioid tolerance, compared with 4309 of 9760 use episodes (44.1%) among patients aged 35 to 44 years occurring among patients with evidence of opioid tolerance. Because the evidence of prior tolerance for newly prescribed transdermal fentanyl was particularly low, we calculated tolerance prevalence stratified by initial dosage strength and insurance group. At each dosage strength, patients with commercial insurance were more likely to show prior tolerance than patients with Medicare Advantage, and prior tolerance rates increased with higher dosage strengths. Even at the highest dosage strength examined (100 µg/h), only half of patients with commercial insurance (889 of 1715 patients [51.8%]) and less than half of patients with Medicare Advantage (448 of 1005 patients [44.6%]) had evidence of prior tolerance.' This also shows that the rich opioid user is likely to have better tolerance from longer periods of usage than the poor opioid user who has not been exposed to opioids so much. In general, it is only the elderly among the upper classes who can afford the currently available pain management drugs, irrespective of which country they belong to. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, states that 'Even in the case of Governments that are strongly committed to addressing challenges and barriers to access, financial resources may not be available to make systemic changes. Moreover, because of the high cost of pain medications, in many high-income countries and in most low- and middle-income countries, where a large number of people are not covered by either health insurance or a national health-care system, many people can encounter difficulties in accessing the pain medications that they need'
Studies have found that legalizing cannabis results in reduced overall opioid use in elderly populations that are covered by medical insurance. Live Science reported a few years back that 'Studies suggest marijuana use is rising fastest among older Americans—a group that's also most likely to have the type of pain conditions that respond best to marijuana, the researchers said. Opioid prescriptions fell by 2.21 million daily doses per year, on average, in states that legalized medical marijuana — an 8.5-percent decrease — compared with opioid prescriptions in states that didn't legalize the drug.' This is good enough reason for the pharmaceutical, medical and medical insurance industries to oppose cannabis legalization. Wiley Publications reports that 'Using data from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database between 2009 and 2015, we studied the effects of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer-sponsored health insurance. We used a differences-in-differences (DD) approach and found that the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) reduced morphine milligram equivalents per enrollee by 7% and 13%, respectively. The reduction associated with MMLs was predominately in people aged 55–64, whereas the reduction associated with RMLs was largely in people aged 35–44 and aged 45–54. Our findings suggest that both MMLs and RMLs have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing in the privately insured population, especially for the middle-aged population.' NORML reports that 'The use of medical cannabis by older adults with a chronic pain condition is associated with improvements in their quality of life, according to data published in the journal Cannabis. Investigators with the University of Florida at Gainesville assessed the use of medical cannabis over a three-month period in a cohort of 46 middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with chronic pain. They reported that subjects experienced significantly lower levels of pain following the use of medical cannabis, as well as improvements in sleep, anxiety/depression, and in overall quality of life. ' In terms of neurological diseases, and associated pain, NORML reports that 'Investigators reported that patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, perceived the greatest overall benefits from cannabis therapy. Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting health-related quality of life benefits among older patients who consume cannabis. Subjects were most likely to report cannabis to be effective for improving sleep and for reducing pain – findings that are consistent with other studies. By contrast, patients suffering from spondylosis were least likely to perceive benefits from cannabis therapy. Authors concluded: “This retrospective medical record review describes the population characteristics of patients using medicinal cannabis at a clinic in Sydney, Australia and provides data on the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabis treatment on patient conditions and indications. … [Its findings] indicate that medicinal cannabis, in a balanced formulation, may address a variety of non-cancer conditions and indications concurrently and can be safely prescribed by a medical doctor.”'
Cannabis usage results in lower hypertension and blood pressure. NORML reports that 'A team of investigators affiliated with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University assessed the impact of medical cannabis administration on hypertension in 26 elderly patients (mean age: 70) over a three-month period. Study subjects ingested cannabis either orally (via oil extracts) or by smoking. Researchers performed the following assessments on the participants: 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, ECG, blood tests, and anthropometric measurements prior to the initiation of cannabis therapy and three months afterward. The primary outcome was change in mean 24-hour blood pressure at three months. Authors reported, “Cannabis treatment for three months was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate.” Several of the subjects in the study reported symptoms of dizziness following cannabis administration. Patients’ use of cannabis was not association with an elevated risk of arrhythmias during the study period.'
Weakening of bones, and the damage that this causes, is a common medical condition as one ages. Reporting on the benefits of cannabis for bone health, NORML reports that 'Cannabidiol demonstrates bone-protecting activity in both cellular and animal models of osteoporosis, according to preclinical data published in the journal Calcified Tissue International. Researchers affiliated with New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine investigated the effects of CBD in vitro using human osteoprogenitor cells and in vivo via a murine femur fracture model. They reported that human cells pre-treated with CBD showed significantly higher levels of osteocalcin – a bone-producing hormone. They also reported that CBD-pretreated mice exhibited more rapid bone healing than controls. “Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that CBD exerts cell-specific effects which can be exploited to enhance bone metabolism,” authors concluded. “These findings also indicate that CBD usage in an osteoporotic population may positively impact bone morphology, warranting further research.”'
The Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment reported that the use of cannabis reduced tobacco usage among the older population. It reported that 'Highlights - Following initiation of medical cannabis use, 320 (49%) of participants that used tobacco/nicotine (T/N) reported reductions in use; Odds of T/N cessation were greater amongst those who were age 55 or older or that reported >25 T/N uses per day; Specific intent to use medical cannabis in T/N reduction/cessation efforts resulted in significantly greater odds of reducing T/N use.'
Obesity is one of the problems plaguing the elderly, as much as the young, especially in urban populations, and probably more so among the upper classes. This is a result of modern lifestyles including unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and sleep deprivation. Add smartphones to that list these days. I suspect that many of the synthetic pharmaceutical medications also, which the elderly consume in huge quantities over long periods of time, are contributors to obesity, as a part of the side effects including loss of appetite, taste and indigestion. Being obese causes serious health problems for the elderly who already suffer from lost of eyesight, hearing and mobility. Brittle bones, accompanied by being obese, is a surefire recipe for disaster in the elderly. A fall, or constant wear and tear of the musculo-skeletal framework, can result in an elderly person becoming bedridden. Many who get laid low in their old age never manage to get out of bed, as a result. It has been found in numerous studies that a cannabis user is more active, has a lower BMI and is less prone to be obese or underweight. This goes against the typical stereotype created as a part of anti-cannabis propaganda that the cannabis user does nothing but sprawl around all day on a sofa eating junk food. Well, the cannabis user might be doing that also, but invariably he or she is much fitter than a non-cannabis user. Nature Publications reports that 'The stereotypical image of a cannabis smoker is someone who sprawls on the sofa for hours surrounded by a haze of smoke and half-eaten snacks. The scene is played up for laughs in films, but social psychologist Angela Bryan thought it could be cause for concern. After all, cannabis is known to increase appetite and aid relaxation, which might put people at risk of health conditions such as obesity, says Bryan, who is at the University of Colorado Boulder. But digging into health trends revealed the opposite. Nationwide US studies report that, compared to non-users, cannabis users actually have a lower prevalence of obesity.' Loss of balance is also one of the factors contributing to crippling falls in old age. NORML reports that 'The report's author concluded: "[T]his case demonstrates how the patient was able to significantly benefit from the introduction of medical cannabis into her mental health intervention for the treatment of vertigo and a generalized anxiety disorder. In this case, the benefits for the 88-year-old patient using medical cannabis as a treatment in the both the short term and longer-term far outweighed the potential risks that may require consideration for children or adolescents."' NORML reports that 'Authors reported: “Results of this analysis indicated that compared to older adult non-users, older adult cannabis users had lower BMI at the beginning of an exercise intervention study, engaged in more weekly exercise days during the intervention, and were engaging in more exercise-related activities at the conclusion of the intervention. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that it may be easier for older adults who endorse using cannabis to increase and maintain their exercise behavior, potentially because cannabis users have lower body weight than their non-using peers. At minimum, the evidence suggests that cannabis use does not hinder older adults’ ability to engage in physical activity, to participate in a supervised exercise program, or to increase their fitness as a result of physical activity.”'
Anxiety is among the leading conditions for which cannabis is used in places where it has been legalized. Science Direct reports that 'Anxiety was a common reason for using cannabis among older adults. Overall, use of cannabis for anxiety is perceived to be helpful in alleviating symptoms. More research on cannabis in older adults is warranted including prevalence of use, efficacy in treating anxiety, and potential changes in concurrently prescribed anxiolytic medications as a result of cannabis use.' Anxiety is one of the major medical conditions that the elderly face. This is increasingly so today where they have less support structures and face increasing discrimination and isolation. The avalanche of information, much of which is falsified with the intent to create alarm, also contributes to anxiety. Seeing the world that they thought was so indestructible now decaying under the onslaught of human-induced climate change and environmental damage adds to the anxiety. So far, for those who can afford it, benzodiazepines have been the key class of drugs prescribed as anxiolytics to treat anxiety in the elderly. Although they replaced barbiturates which were highly addictive and harmful with benzodiazepines, the newer drugs are no less harmful than the ones they replaced. The harms associated with benzodiazepines are downplayed, especially their interactions with opioids and the role that they play in overdose deaths. NCBI reports that 'Although overdose receives less attention as a benzodiazepine-related adverse event, benzodiazepines are the second-most common medication class involved in pharmaceutical overdose deaths, and overdose deaths that involve benzodiazepines increased more than 6-fold from 1996 through 2014. More than 75% of benzodiazepine-related deaths involve opioids, and evidence continues to accumulate that use of benzodiazepines is associated with increased risk of opioid-related overdose and mortality. Given that older adults experienced the largest absolute increases in opioid-related mortality between 2001 and 2016 and also experience the highest rates of coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine prescribing may be associated with increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality among older adults.' Wikipedia says, regarding benzodiazepines, that 'Although benzodiazepines are much safer in overdose than their predecessors, the barbiturates, they can still cause problems in overdose. Taken alone, they rarely cause severe complications in overdose; statistics in England showed that benzodiazepines were responsible for 3.8% of all deaths by poisoning from a single drug. However, combining these drugs with alcohol, opiates or tricyclic antidepressants markedly raises the toxicity. The elderly are more sensitive to the side effects of benzodiazepines, and poisoning may even occur from their long-term use. The various benzodiazepines differ in their toxicity; temazepam appears most toxic in overdose and when used with other drugs.The symptoms of a benzodiazepine overdose may include; drowsiness, slurred speech, nystagmus, hypotension, ataxia, coma, respiratory depression, and cardiorespiratory arrest. In the United States, benzodiazepines are Schedule IV drugs under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, even when not on the market (for example, nitrazepam and bromazepam). The elderly are at an increased risk of both short- and long-term adverse effects, and as a result, all benzodiazepines are listed in the Beers List of inappropriate medications for older adults.' NCBI reports that 'Long-term use of BZRAs [Benzodiazepine receptor agonist] (> four weeks) in older adults should be avoided for most indications because of their minimal efficacy and risk of harm. Older adults have increased sensitivity to BZRAs and decreased ability to metabolize some longer-acting agents, such as diazepam. All BZRAs increase the risk of cognitive impairment, delirium, falls, fractures, hospitalizations, and motor vehicle crashes. Alternative management strategies for insomnia, anxiety disorders, and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (also known as responsive behaviours) are recommended. BRZAs have minimal efficacy for anxiety, insomnia, or responsive behaviours related to dementia. This is coupled with concerns about their associated adverse effects. These drugs commonly appear on lists of medications to avoid in the care of older patients'. Research, including by government bodies, has been increasing on the effects of cannabis on the elderly as compared to harmful opioids and benzodiazepines. The US National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that 'The purpose of this Notice is to inform potential applications to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute on Aging (NIA) of special interest in grant applications to conduct rigorous research on cannabis and potentially addictive, psychoactive prescription drug use (specifically opioids and benzodiazepine) in older adults. This program will focus on two distinct older adult populations (over the age of 50): (1) individuals with earlier use onset of cannabis and the specified drug classes who are now entering older age, or (2) individuals who initiate use of cannabis and the specified drug classes after the age of 50. Insights gained from this initiative have the potential to inform the public and health care systems regarding use of cannabis and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines in older populations.'
For oral and dental health, another area that the elderly are likely to suffer conditions in, Marijuana Moment reports that 'Results of the experiment indicated that the two cannabinoid-infused mouthwashes significantly inhibited the growth of bacteria—on par with the chlorhexidine. The two over-the-counter mouthwashes, meanwhile, had little to no detectable effect. “Cannabinoids (CBD / CBG) infused mouthwashes together with other natural key ingredients shows promising bactericidal activity in vitro against total-culturable aerobic bacterial content in dental plaque,” the study says, “with efficiency equivalent to or better than that of the gold standard (0.2% chlorhexidine).”'
In terms of liver safety when it comes to cannabis usage, as compared to the harms that alcohol and prescription synthetic pharmaceutical medication cause, and the overall benefits of cannabis use, NORML reports that 'Researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago and with Tarleton University in Texas assessed the daily use of CBD in a cohort of over 1,000 adults. Most of the study’s participants reported having consumed full-spectrum CBD tinctures for at least one year. Investigators concluded: “In this large-sample study, self-dosing [with] CBD was not associated with an increased prevalence of elevation of LT [liver tests] or low levels of TT [total testosterone] in men. Furthermore, CBD administration decreased DD [daytime drowsiness] and was associated with a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels in older men as compared to age-adjusted population norms. … [I]n those over 45 years of age, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of the general population.” Several population-based studies have reported that cannabis consumers typically possess lower BMI and other favorable indices related to diabetic control. Observational studies have also shown that the past use of cannabis is significantly associated with lower odds of diabetes in adults. Data published in 2021 similarly determined that the repeated use of oral CBD products is not associated with liver abnormalities, such as the elevated production of the enzyme alanine transaminase.'
Some witnesses to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission reported that cannabis use was associated with longetivity and youthfulness in the people that they observed. Bloomberg reports a study that showed increased longetivity, albeit on worms, stating that 'None of the 3,504 C. Elegans worms in the Canopy study died prematurely compared to a control group, even at significantly elevated doses -- a good sign for CBD’s safety, said Hunter Land, a senior director of science at Canopy. Better still, at doses in the range of human consumption, CBD extended the tiny roundworms’ lives by 18%, and they showed an increase in activity of 206%. “As they aged, they moved more like young animals,” Land, who designed the study, explained in a phone interview. “Rather than seeing something toxic, we see the opposite -- it actually increases health parameters.”' The activist John Sinclair, who served a long prison sentence for possession of two joints, got his redemption when he was the first person to make a legal purchase of recreational cannabis, at the age of 78, from a retail outlet in Michigan when it legalized adult recreational use. MLive reports that 'Marijuana activist and poet John Sinclair, although older now at 78, is no less the rebel he was in 1969. “I knew they were going to be after me, but you can’t let them determine your life,” he said of his 1971 release from prison for possession of two joints. About 9:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor with a happy line of hundreds wrapped around the block, Sinclair made what was likely the first-ever licensed recreational retail marijuana sale in Michigan.' David Crosby spends his old age in bliss homegrowing his own cannabis and enjoying it. Celebstoner reported that 'At 79, the Croz concluded: “We’ve been watching the effects of smoking marijuana on me for almost 60 years now. So far it hasn’t done anything we can tell. My memory has never been really great, and when I’m really stoned I have trouble remembering your name, but it hasn’t had any physical harm as far as we can tell.”' Leafly reports that, 'At home, Crosby keeps it simple by growing five distinct varietals he’s nicknamed for their most pronounced attributes, like Purple. He enjoys puffing on a Pax vaporizer starting usually in mid to late afternoon and concludes each day by rolling up a fat joint and watching a movie with his wife. In between he often finds cannabis to be a creative catalyst for his songwriting. He also enjoys growing cannabis as a creativity-stimulating pursuit, one that engenders a profound connection to the plant. “What I’ve learned from growing my own pot is that it’s an awful lot of fun. The plants are beautiful and lovely. They grow like crazy and truly respond to you. What I end up doing in the morning is making some coffee and wandering around in my underwear in the garden. I’ll pluck off a leaf here and there while I water them and tell them how lovely they are…. It’s wonderful.”' Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Paul McCartney are some respected elderly musicians who continue to use cannabis in their old age, and all these guys started smoking it probably quite early in their lives. Kieth Richards of the Rolling Stones, at the age of 80, begins his day with a nice joint rolled 'California style' as he says, and that is about as much cannabis as he smokes in the day.
Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most maligned compound in cannabis, and it faces almost singularly focused discrimination. THC is at the root of the illegality of cannabis, with a completely unscientific limit of 0.3% THC being considered as what differentiates legal cannabis from illegal cannabis. THC is also the most medicinal and beneficial compound in cannabis. The reason why it has been targeted is that it is a psychotropic compound, i.e. it makes you 'high'. High is another term for feeling euphoric. Since feeling euphoric apparantly is not medically approved - unless it is from prescription synthetic pharmaceutical medicine or the legal alcohol - THC forms the basis of most anti-cannabis policies world wide. Studies are constantly being undertaken to determine the effects of THC on people, including the elderly. Oxford University Press reports that 'Six articles reported findings for older populations (three human and three rodent studies), highlighting the paucity of research in this area. Human studies revealed largely null results, likely due to several methodological limitations. Better-controlled rodent studies indicate that the relationship between delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cognitive function in healthy aging depends on age and level of THC exposure. Extremely low doses of THC improved cognition in very old rodents. Somewhat higher chronic doses improved cognition in moderately aged rodents. No studies examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) or high-CBD cannabis on cognition.' NORML reports that 'A majority of seniors prescribed oral THC (dronabinol) for pain management report that it provides them with symptomatic improvements, according to data published in the journal of the German Medical Association. Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of dronabinol in 1,515 pain patients ages 75 or older. Nearly six-out-of-ten subjects reported improvements in their symptoms following cannabinoid therapy, with 22 percent of patients reporting that their condition was “notably improved.”' There are various studies to show that cannabis with potency of THC as high as 70% did not cause any severe side effects, society continues to target THC, especially when it sees its arguments against the whole plant slowly crumbling, and other cannabinoids like Cannabidiol (CDB) finding widespread approval, including from the World Health Organization.
The pharmaceutical industry and medical industry have been trying to corner the nascent medical cannabis market by creating synthetic cannabinoid products that they can sell for profit like other synthetic pharmaceutical medicine. They are trying to leverage the perception that anything that pharmaceutical companies produce, and the medical industry recommends, must be good. We see these synthetic cannabindoid based pharma industries resisting adult cannabis legalization, and resisting even use of natural cannabis as medicine, since that will mean that they cannot profit from a patented pharmaceutical drug. The medical cannabis pharma industry has been largely instrumental in delaying adult cannabis legalization in New York and New Jersey - states that finally had to bow to grassroots pressure and legalize adult use - and also the overturning of the people's will in South Dakota. Synthetic cannabinoids have been found to be not as effective as natural cannabis, and they may have unseen harmful effects since they have not been time and population tested like natural cannabis. MJBizDaily reports that 'Data was drawn from more than 4,000 people with COPD in Ontario who were over the age of 66 from 2006 to 2016. The patients were divided into two groups—new users of dronabinol or nabilone and those who never used synthetic cannabinoids. While patients who began treatment with either cannabinoid were no more likely to be hospitalized for COPD or pneumonia, they were significantly more likely to die of any cause. And patients who received higher-dose cannabinoids were much more likely to be hospitalized with COPD or pneumonia (178 percent) and to die of any cause (231 percent).' Reporting on the preference of most elderly for natural cannabis, rather than synthetic pharmaceutical cannabinoids, NORML says, 'All age groups reported herbal cannabis as “their most commonly used product” – a finding that is consistent with prior studies. Over 55 percent of respondents also reported having consumed edible cannabis products. Younger age groups were far more likely than older respondents to report consuming cannabis concentrates and ingesting cannabis products via a vaporizer (both dry vaporizers and vape pens). The use of tinctures and topicals varied little by age, though they were among the least popular products ranked by respondents. Those ages 65 or older were more likely to consume cannabis flower than any other form of the substance.'
Elderly care institutions mirror drug rehabilitation centers in their widespread use of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs to keep the inmate docile and sedated. This also enables those running these centers to have free access to the drugs themselves, as well as enables these centers to profit greatly from the wide spread use of synthetic pharmaceutical medications for which the patients themselves and their families pay for unquestioningly. Sage Publications reports that 'In addition to alcohol, some older adults have also been found to be drug abusers (Li and Jackson, 2016). These drugs include prescription drugs and illicit drugs. Older people are reported to have the highest prescription-drug abuse rate of any other age group (Briggs et al., 2011). Among the prescription drugs, benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed to individuals aged 65 years and older. In Australia’s aged care services, around 4.4 percent of residents report misusing opioids or benzodiazepines (Li and Jackson, 2016).' So we find elderly care homes to be among the most reticent when it comes to switching to cannabis instead of the cocktails of prescription pharmaceutical drugs for their residents. This is slowly changing in places where medical or recreational cannabis has been legalized. Senior Housing News reports that 'There’s a good chance of at least some marijuana or cannabis product use among any senior housing resident population, according to Dr. Cari Levy, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and president of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Board of Directors. “It has become much less stigmatized. Seniors talk to their peers, and they say, I got relief when I used this on my shoulder or my knee,” Levy said during a Senior Housing News webinar on the topic. “I would say probably 2 in 10 have used some formulation [of marijuana or cannabis products].”' The New York Times reports that '“People in their 80s and 90s, even retired Air Force colonels, are finding such relief” with cannabis, said Ms. Horne. “Almost everybody I know is using it in one form or another” — including her husband Hal, 68, a retired insurance broker, who says it helps him sleep. In fact, so many Laguna Woods seniors use medical cannabis — for ailments ranging from arthritis and diabetes nerve pain to back injuries and insomnia — that the local dispensary, Bud and Bloom, charters a free bus to bring residents to its Santa Ana location to stock up on supplies. Along with a catered lunch, the bus riders get a seniors discount.'
Where cannabis is legalized for medical or recreational purposes, the elderly find it easier to access it, unlike in places where cannabis is illegal. In places where cannabis is illegal, it is usually the youth who find it easier to access cannabis from the black market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2020 states that 'In 2019, young people aged 15–24 were more likely than those in older age groups to obtain cannabis from illegal sources, whereas a larger share of older cannabis users relied solely on legal sources; 41 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 or older reported using only legal sources to obtain cannabis, compared with roughly one quarter of the other age groups.' This turns the argument by anti-cannabis proponents - that legalizing cannabis will result in the youth accessing cannabis more - entirely on its head. The fact of the matter is that the illegal status of cannabis keeps it out of the hands of the middle aged and elderly, while delivering it into the hands of the youth. NORML reports that 'A pair of researchers affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin examined cannabis use patterns among a nationally representative cohort of 17,685 subjects aged 50+. Nine percent of respondents reported having used cannabis within the past year. Among them, nearly 20 percent (18.5 percent) defined their use as medical. Over 85 percent of older cannabis consumers said that it was either “fairly or very easy” for them to obtain cannabis, despite only a minority of respondents acknowledging having acquired marijuana products from state-regulated outlets. Most respondents said that they did not discuss their cannabis use with their primary health care providers.' One of the key benefits of adult recreational cannabis legalization in Canada in 2018 is the increased ease of access and affordability to the elderly. One of Canada's stated aims was to shrink the black market for cannabis. It achieved this within two years, with the legal market soon overtaking the illegal market. This increase in the size of the legal market was achieved through significant increase in the elderly population now making legal purchases, where earlier they were afraid of the safety of cannabis in the illegal market, as well as the risks involved in interacting with the black market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020, states that 'By the beginning of 2019, the prevalence of use in the past three months had increased to 17.5 per cent [of the overall Canadian population], and it remained close to that level until the third quarter of 2019 (17.1 per cent). While the prevalence of cannabis use in the past three months rose in most age groups in 2019, the most marked increase was observed in the oldest age group (65 and older), for which the prevalence nearly doubled in comparison with 2018. There also seems to be a larger proportion of new users among older adults than in other age groups: while 10 per cent of new cannabis users were aged 25–44 in the second and third quarters of 2019, more than one quarter were aged 65 and older.' In the US, The Washington Post reported in 2018 that 'The latest release of a massive federal drug use survey shows monthly marijuana use has skyrocketed among older Americans. The past decade, in fact, has seen a sea change in the demographics of marijuana use: As recently as the early 2000s, teens were more than four times more likely to use marijuana than 50- and 60-somethings. But as of 2017, Americans ages 55 to 64 are now slightly more likely to smoke pot on a monthly basis than teens ages 12 to 17. That difference is within the survey’s margin of error.' Numerous more recent studies have shown that teenage cannabis usage has constantly declined in the past decade where cannabis has been legalized for adult recreactional purposes, while elderly usage has steadily increased. Like I said before, keeping cannabis illegal stating that legalization will ruin the youth is, in fact, digging the grave of the elderly. Being elderly does not exempt a person from harassment by law enforcement for cannabis usage. Marijuana Moment reports that 'For “Mrs. Saltzman Goes to Jail: The True Story of a Michigan Outlaw,” Emmy-nominated filmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen pays a visit to Saltzman at her home in Lake George, a small resort town, and takes viewers through the senior citizen’s brief ordeal with local police in June.'
The fake pandemic Covid was more devastating for the elderly than for any other age group, with the exception of the very young. The elderly found themselves increasingly cut off from their social circles and isolated. The medical treatment that the elderly recieved for various existing conditions was cut off. The cases of domestic violence against the elderly spiralled because when entire families spent the whole day at home under stressful condition, it was often the elderly who were targeted as they were the weakest members of the family. Many were sent off to old aged homes or pushed out into the streets, that is if they did not have their skulls smashed at home. The worst impact on the elderly was that when they contracted colds and fevers that were a natural part of the changing seasons, they were diagnosed as having the fake pandemic Covid, and pumped with barrages of toxic cocktails of every imaginable category of medicines - anti-histamines, anti-virals, anti-bacterials, analgesics, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-depressants, anti-nausea, anti-insomnia, and so on. This was done to such an extent that the elderly probably formed the largest segment of the population that died from this attack by the pharma and medical industry. The elderly were specifically targeted since they had medical insurance coverage and were able to pay huge sums of money to get themselves killed by synthetic pharmaceutical medicine. In most cases, the already weakened kidneys and livers could not process the amount of toxicity that was pumped into the body. All this was however reported as deaths from Covid. The wealthy elderly died from overdoses of synthetic pharmaceutical medicine, while the poor elderly - who form the majority of the elderly population in the world - mostly died from starvation or domestic violence.
The proportion of the elderly in the global population is increasing everyday. Most so-called developed nations - yes, the very ones who got cannabis prohibited globally - have aging populations. In India, the elderly are projected to grow to about 20% of the population by 2050 from its current 10-15%, according to statistics. Today, the elderly who benefit from cannabis are the elderly among the rich and elite classes all over the world, who can access and afford the legal cannabis available in wealthy nations like the US, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Australia and Israel. For the majority of the world's elderly, it is the same story as that of the poor. Even in the rich nations, and among the upper classes of all nations, health care is strongly skewed in favor of the rich these days. As one grows older, one needs to pay higher insurance premiums to get medical coverage. What this does is that - as a person grows older and the need for medical care increases - the person needs to pay more and more just to ensure basic coverage for medicines and treatment. Even the elderly in middle-income groups struggle to pay this medical insurance premiums. Then need we say anything about the vast majority of the world's elderly population who are too poor to have medical insurance coverage? Most elderly will be turned back from treatment centers if it is found that they do not have medical insurance coverage. The majority of the elderly in the world suffer silently because they cannot handle the financial burden that comes with healthcare in advancing age. Universal healthcare - through legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use and permission for home growing - will instantly deliver the much needed care that the elderly urgently require. But the pharmaceutical industry, medical industry, the medical insurance industry and governments firmly resist this because it will drastically affect their current bottom lines and revenue streams.
Addiction is a big argument used by anti-cannabis propagandists to keep cannabis illegal. Most people believe that regular cannabis users - why, even a person who uses cannabis just once - becomes addicted to it. This is a result of the vast reams of fake information that have circulated around for decades. As early as during the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission study of 1894-95 it was found from observations of prisoners in jail that regular cannabis users suffer almost no discomfort when they are deprived of their cannabis, compared to persons who use opium. The Hemp Commission stated that - "But even in cases of excessive consumption, the difficulty [of deprivation] appears to be less with ganja than with alcohol or opium. (Point 479)." One of the world's leading experts whose expertise on opium addiction he gained through practical experience, William S Burroughs, wrote in 1953, in his book Junk that 'In 1937, weed was placed under the Harrison Narcotics Act. Narcotics authorities claim it is a habit-forming drug, that its use is injurious to mind and body, and that it causes the people who use it to commit crimes. Here are the facts: Weed is positively not habit forming. You can smoke weed for years and you will experience no discomfort if your supply is cut off. I have seen tea heads in jail and none of them showed withdrawal symptoms. I have smoked weed myself off and on for fifteen years, and never missed it when I ran out. There is less habit to weed than there is to tobacco. Weed does not harm the general health. In fact. most users claim it gives you an appetite and acts as a tonic to the system. I do not know of any other agent that gives as definite a boot to the appetite. I can smoke a stick of tea and enjoy a glass of California sherry and a hash house meal.' Despite all the evidence of cannabis being non-addictive, we find widespread association of the word 'addiction' with cannabis. One of the problems is that the word 'addiction' is used interchangeably with the word 'habit'. Cannabis is a habit, like drinking tea or coffee everyday. It is something that we like to do because it makes us feel good. Stopping the habit, for sudden shortage of cannabis or tea leaves or coffee powder will surely cause discomfort to those who have been long acquainted with it, but it is not life threatening. After a few days of going without the cannabis or tea or coffee, even the most regular and frequent user will adapt to getting by without it. Addictive substances are, however, entirely different. William S Burroughs gives his view on what is addictive. He says that a substance is addictive if it builds biological dependency on it to such an extent that its use alters the normal endocrinal systems of the body until the body stops secreting the natural enzymes and hormones that it needs. The drug takes over the function of normal biological processes and ceasing the use of the drug can be extremely harmful, and fatal in many instances. This is what happens when one consumes opium or alcohol over long periods and frequently. This is also what happens with tobacco addiction. So it is use of these types of drugs that cause addiction, and addiction can be defined as some substance to which we have developed biological dependency, so much so that its cessation can lead to death. If one uses this correct definition of addiction, we will see two interesting things happening: one is that cannabis no longer fits the description of an addictive substance; two is that nearly all the synthetic pharmaceutical medications that people take daily - and in many instances, more than once a day - then come under the category of addictive substances. Once a person starts taking a synthetic pharmaceutical drug regularly and frequently over a sufficiently long period of time, the body's normal biological functions are hijacked by the drug. The organs of the body that used to earlier naturally produce the enzymes and hormones - like the pancreas and liver - stop doing so, or reduce their production. The body becomes entirely reliant on the external medication. Cessation of this external medication will kill the body in this case, which is why most daily prescription medication takers are advised by the drug peddlers - their doctors - to never stop taking them. If one needs to get off these addictive synthetic prescription drugs, one must follow what an opium, tobacco or alcohol addict does, which is to slowly wean oneself off the drug instead of stopping abruptly. Neither the medical industry, nor the pharma industry, and definitely not governments, will acknowledge that they have created a society of addicts to synthetic pharmaceutical medicine.
Cannabis usage as medicine by the elderly - replacing numerous synthetic pharmaceutical medications that damage the environment through their manufacture and disposal, and the body through their usage - can not only heal their bodies, but also the planet as well. Syncsci reports that 'High drug consumption and polypharmacy, especially in the elderly, is one of the 21st century phenomenon. It has different undesirable side effects, which may directly affect the environment. It is known that pharmaceutical residues are excreted via patients’ urine or feces to wastewater, which is then discharged to the environment. Therefore high drug consumption is contributing to the continual rise in pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment, and address a rising cause for concern. Alternative treatments that can relieve or improve the patient’s clinical condition, thereby reducing the consumption of pharmaceuticals, hold great potential for reducing drug residues in the environment. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the reduction in pharmaceutical consumption in a nursing home for the elderly, as a result of treatment with medical cannabis. With time, medical cannabis treatment dramatically improved patients’ symptoms and their medical indexes. As a result, the local physicians stopped prescribing drugs that were defined as unnecessary. Overall, 39 dosages of prescription drugs were canceled for the 19 elderly individuals included in this research, indicating that medical cannabis can be an effective treatment that also reduces the environmental drug load, thereby preventing water pollution'
The easing of cannabis laws has multiple benefits for the economy. In aging populations, where there is increasing labor shortage, studies show that people are able to remain longer in the labour market where cannabis has been legalized for medical or recreational purposes. They are also able to do more labor intensive work. Wiley Publications reports that 'Three principle findings emerge from our analysis. First, active state medical marijuana laws lead to lower pain and better self-assessed health among older adults. Second, state medical marijuana laws lead to increases in older adult labor supply, with effects concentrated on the intensive margin. Third, the effects of MMLs are largest among older adults with a health condition that would qualify for legal medical marijuana use under current state laws. Findings highlight the role of health policy in supporting work among older adults and the importance of including older adults in assessments of state medical marijuana laws.' On the same subject, Science Magazine reported that 'The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes in several U.S. states is intended to improve health, particularly among elderly adults. Nicholas and Maclean investigated whether the introduction of such medical marijuana laws also has effects on labor supply among elderly adults. Using health and labor survey data, they found that older adults report reduced pain and increased overall health and that they are more likely to engage in full-time employment after the introduction of medical marijuana into a state. These effects are concentrated among those whose medical status qualifies them for a prescription of medical marijuana. These results suggest that providing older adults with access to medical marijuana may have beneficial effects on the older adult labor supply.' This however shows that the benefits may not be so great in places where the elderly are not covered by medical insurance or where a prescription is essential to access cannabis as medicine. This is why legalizing cannabis for adult recreational purposes is more important than legalizing it for just medical purposes. With legalization for only medical purposes, only the higher classes of the elderly can access and afford cannabis through medical insurance and a doctor's prescription. With adult recreational legalization, and especially with home growing, the poorest elderly person can access and afford cannabis. Most of the world's elderly fall in the poorest classes. Legalizing cannabis only for medical purposes will not reach them. For truly accessible, affordable universal healthcare for the elderly, cannabis must be legalized for adult recreational purposes, along with home growing.
Starting cannabis usage - just like learning anything new in life - is best done slowly. This applies to any age group, be it the young or the old. Being old means taking extra care when trying out cannabis, starting with low doses and seeing how it works before ramping up to higher doses. Most people who develop aversions to cannabis do so because they start straight away with a high dose that they find difficult to handle, leading them to think that cannabis is not suitable for them, or even downright harmful. The same thing would happen even if one went into high doses of alcohol at the start, why even sex for that matter if you ask me. Leafly has this advice for those in older age populations starting cannabis use, 'Ultimately, aging looks different for everyone, and no two bodies are exactly the same. There are multiple ways to have a healthy cannabis routine, and it’s entirely possible mine will change — possibly many times — as I continue to age. But one thing is for certain: consistency is essential for any cannabis consumer. “Sticking to a routine is key,” Tishler says. “Working with your cannabis specialist to find the right route and dose and then taking it consistently (like a medicine) leads to best benefit.” Whatever your preferences regarding consumption methods and THC content, you can’t go wrong with this standard cannabis advice: start low and go slow.' Many elderly appear to prefer consuming cannabis in tincture form, as NORML reports 'Researchers from New York University’s School of Medicine analyzed invoice data from nearly 6,000 patients ages 50 and older who patronized a state-licensed medical dispensary in New York state. Authors reported, “Older adults were more likely to use sublingual tincture versus other consumption methods, to use products with a lower THC:CBD ratio, and to begin cannabis treatment with a lower THC and higher CBD dose compared with younger age groups.”' When one ingests cannabis, other than through smoking, one must remember the delay in feeling the effects of cannabis, since it needs to enter the blood stream through the digestive system rather than through the lungs. This results in a delay in feeling the effects of cannabis when not smoked. Many first time users mistake the delayed effects as a lack of potency in the cannabis and end up ingesting higher doses that make them feel uncomfortable. Typically, one feels the effects of cannabis within five minutes when smoked, while it may take up to thirty minutes to feel it when ingested as tincture, beverage or edible.
Apparantly, it is a great experience to use cannabis with an elderly person, especially one's grand parents. Leafly reports that 'Growing up, Grandpa’s Breath was always louder than the TV he fell asleep in front of. And Granny was never stingy with anything except her secret stash of Grandma’s Batch. But now that we’re all grown up, there’s no need for a generational divide between cannabis lovers. A recent survey by edibles company Azuca shows that almost two thirds of cannabis users want to get lifted with their grandparents. As we learned from Danté Jordan in 2019, “If you ever have the chance to toke up with an elder member of your family, do that shit. It’ll be a memory you cherish forever.” Just don’t be surprised to find that your older relatives are two tokes ahead of you. A 2020 study showed that elderly citizens were some of the most avid consumers of cannabis in America, with use up 75% among those 65 and older.' Well, I never got the opportunity to smoke cannabis with even my parents, let alone my grandparents who passed away when I was quite young. In fact, now I am reaching the age of a grandparent, so those of you who have grandparents who like their ganja, you should make the most of the opportunity. It will most probably be healing for them and you.
The perception among the vast number of ignorant people in society that the elderly should not smoke cannabis - and that doing so will not only make them very high but will also make them objects of ridicule - is summed up by Hunter S Thompson, in his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, where he describes a talk in which a so-called scientific expert is addressing law enforcement officers at a anti-cannabis seminar. He writes 'Here were more than a thousand top-level cops telling each other "we must come to terms with the drug culture," but they had no idea where to start. They couldn't even find the goddamn thing. There were rumours in the hallways that maybe the Mafia was behind it. Or perhaps the Beatles. At one point somebody in the audience asked Bloomquist if he thought Margaret Mead's "strange behavior," of late, might possibly be explained by a private marijuana addiction. "I really don't know," Bloomquist replied. "But at her age, if she did smoke grass, she'd have one hell of a trip." The audience roared with laughter at this remark.'
Before cannabis was banned in 19th century India, the elderly had it as an aid in their old age, besides the poorest sections of society. It was found that nearly 30% of the adult population consumed cannabis, and that once a person started using it, it was for life. While men started using it around the ages of 18 to 21, women usually started using it once they reached middle age. This late start for women was most probably due to the fact that it took them that much more time to be able to stand up to patriarchal societies and prioritize their needs in the face of a male-dominated society that viewed a cannabis using woman as immoral. The spiritual mendicant class were extensive consumers. We can safely say that most of these mendicants would be closer to old age than to youth, as it was common to renounce the world once one reached the stage in life when one was finished with family responsibilities. The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95 posed question 30. (b) - Is it mainly confined to the male sex or to any time of life? - to its respondents. In response, there was extensive evidence that showed that persons smoked cannabis in their old age. Mr. E. V. Westmacott, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal, said 'Males over forty.' Mr. H. G. Cooke, Officiating Commissioner, Orissa Division, said, 'All drugs are used mainly by the male sex, and chiefly by the middle-aged and old.' Mr. A. C. Tute, Magistrate and Collector of Dinajpur, said, 'They are used by adults and old men.' Mr. L. Hare, Magistrate and Collector of Muzaffarpur, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex in youth and old age.' Mr. H. F. T. Maguire, Magistrate and Collector of Khulna, said, 'I have seen ganja-smokers of any age from 20 upwards.' Mr. N. K. Bose, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Noakhali, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex and to ages ranging from 25 to 60 years.' Mr. E. H. C. Walsh, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Cuttack, said, 'The three drugs are chiefly consumed by males, and more by the old than by young men.' Babu Gobind Chandra Basak, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Brahmanbaria, Tippera District, said, 'Bhang is consumed also by old men.' Maulavi Abdus Samad, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Purulia, Manbhum, said, 'Ganja is ordinarily consumed by people above thirty years of age.' Babu Kanti Bhushan Sen, Baidya, Special Excise Deputy Collector of Cuttack, said, 'Generally, persons advanced in years consume them.' Babu Suresh Chundra Bal, Baidya, Special Excise Deputy Collector, Howrah, said, 'It is confined to the male sex between the ages of twenty and sixty.' Babu Kali Das Mukerji, Sub-Deputy Collector and Superintendent of Distillery, Serampore, Hughli, said, 'These drugs are, however, generally consumed both by the young and the old.' Babu Hara Gopal Dutta, Kayasth, Retired Excise Daroga, Mymensingh, said, 'Ganja and bhang are generally taken by adults and old men.' Surgeon-Major R. Cobb, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca, said, 'They are generally used in middle and advanced life. About 70 per cent. of persons addicted to these drugs are middle-aged or old.' Assistant Surgeon Bosonto Kumar Sen, in Civil Medical Charge, Bogra, said, 'It is used principally in youth and old age.' Assistant Surgeon Preonath Bose, Teacher of Materia Medica and Practical Pharmacy, Dacca, said, 'Mainly confined to the male sex to middle and old age.' Durga Nath Chakravarti, Brahmin, in charge of Tangail Dispensary, Mymensing, said, 'Use of bhang is restricted here only among adults and old people.' Rai Radha Govinda Rai, Sahib Bahadur, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur, said, 'The use of ganja and bhang is mainly confined to the male sex, and they are used by adults and old men.' Babu Rughu Nandan Prasadha, Zamindar, Patna, 'There is no particular time of life to which the use of the drugs is confined; they are used from adolescence to extreme old age.' M. Kazi Rayaz-Ud-Din Mahamed, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera, said, 'Habitual consumers also smoke ganja when old.' Babu Nobo Gopal Bose Rai Chowdhoory, Kayasth, Talukdar and Judge's Court Pleader (late Munsiff of Nator), Memari, Burdwan District, said, 'This vice begins with a man in his youth. But once commenced, it continues up to the old age.' Babu Kamal Kanta Sen, Kayasth, Zamindar and Pleader, President of the Chittagong Association, said, 'Adults and old people use the drugs.' Jadu Ram Borooah, Assamese Kayasth, Local Board Member; Pensioned Overseer, Public Works Department, Dibrugarh, said, 'It is confined to male only, to whole time of his life.' Mir Zamin Ali, Pensioned Hospital Assistant, Jabalpur, said, 'These things are mainly confined to males of riper age.' Mr. G. Stokes, Collector of Salem, said, 'The practice is confined to the male sex and above the middle period of life.' Colonel H. S. Elton, Commandant, 16th Regiment, Madras Infantry, Bellary, said, 'From manhood to death.' Surgeon-Major S. C. Sarkies, District Surgeon, Nellore, said, 'I have noticed the habit prevailing more amongst elderly men than amongst the young.' Mr. K. C. Manavedan Raja, Collector, Anantapur, said, 'The consumption is generally in company and confined to the male sex without regard to limit of age after boyhood.' M. Etheragulu Pillay, Land-owner, Bezwada, Kistna District, said, 'Male sex, middle and old aged people.' Rev. H. J. Goffin, Missionary, Kadiri, Cuddapah District, said, 'Generally speaking, the middle-aged and old use it most.' Abdul Khader, Agent of the Ganja Shopkeeper, Rajahmundry, said, 'The use of it is confined to persons between manhood and old age.' Mr. C. G. Dodgson, Assistant Magistrate and Collector, Khandesh, 'The use is chiefly confined to the male sex and to men well on in years.' Khan Sahib Nasarvanji Edalji Sethna, Parsi, Abkari Inspector, Satara, said, 'Ganja is generally smoked by persons over the age of twenty-five up to any time in advanced life. Similarly ghota and dudhia are drunk by males of like age.' Assistant Surgeon B. H. Nanavatty, Parsi, and Teacher of Surgery and Midwifery, Medical School, Ahmedabad, said, 'Ganja smoking is usually practised by the males, adults, middle-aged, and the old.' Hospital Assistant Sudashio Wamon, Brahmin, Mansa, Mahikantha, said, '[It] is mainly confined to the male sex in youth and old age, and not in infancy.'
Speaking about a number of elderly smokers coming from the spiritual mendicant classes, Mr. L. C. Miller, Acting Collector of Trichinopoly, said, 'Beggars and fakirs commence taking it at a very early age and continue through life. Other classes do not usually become habitual consumers till middle age, though they take it at all ages medicinally.' Hospital Assistant Rajan Lokajee, Máli Telgu, Thana, said, 'Among gosavis, they use the articles throughout the whole life.'
Reporting on the habit becoming lifelong once contracted, several witnesses gave evidence before the Hemp Commission. This, to me, is another indication of the benefits of cannabis even as one increases in age. Some would argue that this is an indication of addiction, but there is vast evidence before the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, and corroborated by the latest science, to show that it was not addictive. From decades of personal experience I can tell you that cannabis is as addictive as tea or coffee, with the discomfort that one feels from its absence being similar to that experienced when one has to forgo the daily beverage. Just as a person who has contracted the habit of drinking tea or coffee daily would not like to forgo the habit lifelong, similarly a cannabis user would not like to forgo the habit till the end of life, if possible. This cannot be labelled as addiction. I would rather call it practicing healthy habits lifelong. Babu Ganganath Roy, Kayasth, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Chittagong, said, 'The habit is contracted in the prime of life and is seldom given up.' Babu Gour Das Bysack, Retired Deputy Collector, Calcutta, said 'those who begin at an early age cannot shake off the habit at any time of their lives.' Anandi Pershad, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad, said, 'All the abovementioned drugs are commenced from the beginning of the age of puberty, and when they have become slaves to them, they are obliged to continue them till their old age. Some persons leave them also.' Khushali Ram, Honorary Magistrate, Chhindwara, 'If a man begins he never leaves off.' Chandi Pershad, Brahmin, Malguzar, and President, Municipal Committee, Chanda, 'It is generally begun in youth, but once begun is continued to old age.' R. Saminatha Iyer, Brahmin, Acting Deputy Tahsildar, Coonoor, said, 'They are said to be consumed generally by Muhammadans at the age of about forty years till the end of their lives.' Hospital Assistant Chinny Sreenivasa Rau, Prapanna Komity, L. F. Hospital, Bobbili Vizagapatam District, said, 'When the habit is once contracted, it is continued lifelong.' Mr. Ry. V. Venkatarao Iyer, Brahman, Managar, Ettayapuram Estate, Tinnevelly District, said, 'Even old people continue to use the drug.' E. Subramana Iyer, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, Conjevaram, Chingleput District, said, 'If once practised, the consumer is constrained to use it till the end of his life.' Ganjam Vencataratnam, Brahmin, 1st Grade Pleader, Coconada, Godavery District, said, 'Once a person gets into the habit, it is difficult for him to give it up at any time of life, and it becomes a life-long habit.' Mr. E. J. Ebden, Collector, Ahmednagar, said, 'The practice is chiefly confined to the male sex, is often acquired at the age of 15 and carried on through life.' Rao Bahadur Lallubhai Gorbhandas, Vania, Huzur Deputy Collector, Nasik, said, 'A man leaves off bhang generally in old age ; but a ganja smoker continues to smoke it till death.' Rao Bahadur Sitaram Damodar, Huzur Deputy Collector, Khandesh, said, 'It is very seldom that a man below the age of 25 takes to these habits; but when once the habit is formed, it generally does not leave them till death.' Mr. T. G. Foard, Superintendent of Police, Cambay, said, 'The habit of smoking ganja, when once acquired, is usually continued till death. There are exceptional cases in which people have broken off the habit.' Ramchandra Krishna Kothavale, Brahmin, Inamdur, Taluka Wai, in Satara District, said, 'But ganja is smoked till death by people who are once given to it.' Nawalchand Heerachand, Jeweller, Bombay, said, 'Men commence to drink when they are 20 years of age, and they continue doing so to old age.' Elijah Benhamin, Jew, First Class Hospital Assistant, Shikarpur, said, 'Yes, it is chiefly confined to male sex and up to life.'
There is also evidence before the Hemp Commission that shows women consumed cannabis as they grew older. While many drank it as bhang, there were also women who smoked it as ganja. Patriarchal society, and the upper classes and castes did not hesitate to instantly label the older women who smoked ganja as belonging to the lower classes and castes. This shows that even if the usage of cannabis was more widespread than reported among women, they would have strove to keep it secret, given the social stigmatization that they faced if their cannabis usage was discovered. My theory is that this behavior by women was something that happened in the preceding few centuries before the 19th century. It was during the period leading up to the 19th century that the upper classes and castes stamped their class and caste superiority on the indigenous communities of India, as they strengthened the class and caste hierarchy that they had brought into India along with their Vedic religions, Vaishnavism, and other male dominated religions like Jainism and Buddhism. I suspect that 3000 years back - before these newer religions and social systems established themselves - there was no stigma associated with women using cannabis. One must also remember that the entire set of witnesses who responded to the questions of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95 were males belonging to the ruling classes, upper classes and upper castes. Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, ' Ganja-consumption is generally confined to the male sex as well as to old females of the lower classes — Bedias, prostitutes, baishnavis, old fish-women, chandal women, etc...' Babu Rajani Prasad Neogy, Excise Deputy Collector, Mymensingh, said, 'The prostitutes begin to indulge in the drug when they are advanced in years.' M. Kazi Rayaz-Ud-Din Mahamed, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera, said, 'Bhang is also taken by old women of Hindu sect, bairagi.' Babu Nobin Chandra Sarkar, Kayasth, Wholesale and retail vendor of ganja and bhang, Barisal, 'Ganja is generally used in company by men and sometimes by prostitutes and baistabs, after attaining the age of 20 up to old age.' Bishun Chandra Chattopadhay, Pleader, Dhubri, said, 'Females, old and degraded, are occasionally seen to indulge in ganja-smoking.' Mr. R. Giles, Collector, Shikarpur, said, 'Women never drink it until they are growing old.' Assistant Surgeon, Edward Mackenzie, Manora, Karachi, Sind, said, 'in women the elderly, in men the young adults, in the former from acquired habit, in the latter for immoral purposes.' Rev. A. E. Ball, Missionary, Church Missionary Society, Karachi, said, 'It is mainly confined to the male sex, though a fair number of the older women drink bhang.' Pribhdas Shewakram Advani, Secretary, Band of Hope, Hyderabad, Sind, said, 'Old females also use bhang.' Mr. G. Bennett, Abkari Inspector, Ajmere, said, 'Drugs are used, both private and public, by both sexes throughout life.' More than one friend has told me about their grandmothers placing a small black ball of cannabis - which they called 'karuppu' - in their mouths so that the juices were released gradually, much like people place wads of tobacco or betel leaves and nuts. This appears to definitely have been a practice in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. To me this sounds like cannabis resin - hashish or charas - that these ladies were able to obtain. This also indicates that the South Indian varieties were quite resinous and handling the ganja flowers enabled people to obtain enough charas for a small ball. For many of the people working in the fields cultivating ganja, this was often the reward for a day's work paid instantaneously by Nature. Even though the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission's report states that the usage of charas in most parts of India was minimal, I think this is more like regarding charas as a product created in the Himalayas or imported from Yarkhand. In most places throughout the country, I believe, the usage of charas was prevalent, but in such small quantities periodically that it escaped the eye of the investigator. The ganja itself was so good that the people did not feel the need to stress on the resin or charas as a separate product or drug. Today, Indians view charas as an even more dangerous drug than ganja - and bhang as a harmless drug - when bhang, ganja and charas are equivalent to milk, curd and ghee, or it put it another way - coconut milk, the kernel and oil.
A number of witnesses reported to the Hemp Commission that the quantity consumed increased steadily with age, though some older persons were known to reduce dosage with increasing age. To me, this is another indicator of the safety of cannabis, that one can increase dosage over time without suffering adverse effects. Most persons were however habitual moderate users with excessive users being in the range of 5-10%. Among these excessive users, it was found that a large number were spiritual mendicants, who enjoyed great health despite so-called excessive usage, further corroborating the fact that cannabis, even if used in excess, is much less harmful than alcohol or opium. Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, 'They commence smoking when they are between twenty to thirty, and they cannot give up their habit; on the contrary, they have to increase their dose. As in other intoxicants it commences with the young people, and increases with age if they can afford to pay for it. In old age it decreases. Habitual consumption is generally steady, and does not increase to a great extent. Bhang - people learn to drink generally from twenty-five to thirty. The quantity increases with age.' B. Narayanamurty, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Ganjam, said, 'The use of these drugs is mainly confined to males after twenty years, and the habit grows with age.' Mr. R. Giles, Collector, Shikarpur, said, 'Young men acquire the habit, but as a rule the consumption increases with age.' Giving evidence of the moderate habitual use of cannabis in old age, P. C. Anunthacharlu, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, and Government Pleader, Bellary, said, 'Old people ordinarily take three times a day.' Showing evidence of the awareness of the people even then of the harms of excessive alcohol use, as compared to cannabis, Babu Surendra Nath Pal Chowdhury, Zamindar, Ranaghat, District Nadia, said, 'but in the cases of excessive drunkards, they having given up the use of alcohol, use ganja or bhang excessively even at an advanced age.' Evidence of the view among the upper classes and castes that opium was less harmful than cannabis can be found in the evidence of Anandi Pershad, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad, who said, 'Nobody begins their use [of cannabis] in old age because they are injurious in that age. They no doubt generally begin to use opium in the old age.' Rao Bahadur Venkat Rango Katti, Pensioner, Dharwar, said, 'The habit of smoking begins with youth and grows to its utmost in old age.'
Even though the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission did not ask questions specifically aimed at understanding the medical uses of cannabis in the elderly, a number of witnesses spoke about it in their responses to Questions 40, 41 and 42 posed by the Commission. Speaking about the medical benefits of consuming cannabis at an advanced age, Mr. F. H. Tucker, District Superintendent of Police, Dinajpur, said, 'Bhang is mostly drunk at declining age when men become susceptible to attacks of diarrhœa.' Chodisetty Venkatarutnum, Merchant, Coconada, Godavari District, said, 'Old people generally use it because it nerves the body of a man.' Jati Amar Hansa, Baid, Ajmere, said, 'In old age some people use bhang with some cathartics.' Mr. E. V. WestmacottT, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal, said, 'I speak of moderate habitual smoking of ganja by laborious men past middle age living a life of exposure on a mud soil. I think it beneficial under such conditions.' MR. E. H. C. Walsh, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Cuttack, said, '[It] is believed to be good for old people on account of its being digestive.' Mr. W. Maxwell, Sub-Divisional Officer, Jhenidah, District Jessore, said, 'Ganja pills are given to old people for impotency.' Babu Pran Kumar Das, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector and Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of Burdwan, said, 'One of my old servants, a habitual ganja smoker, suffers often from diarrhœa with a tendency to dysentery. He is a moderate smoker.' Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, said, 'The moderate use of ganja and bhang is beneficial, and it is harmless too. Veteran ganja smokers can live up to the ripe old age of 80 years, and they do not complain of its harmful effects.' Rai Kamalapati Ghosal Bahadur, Brahmin, Pensioner, SubRegistrar and Zamindar, 24-Parganas, said, 'As far as I know siddhi or bhang has some digestive quality, and a moderate occasional use of it does good to those who suffer from bowel complaints and some moderate consumers take it on occasion of festivals, &c., for the sake of pleasure and for taking more quantity of food than usual. This practice is followed more by some of the young men of the upper class chiefly, and not by men of advanced ages unless they be habitual moderate consumers of the siddhi drug or suffering from some bowel complaints. The number of these men is not very great.' Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel W. Flood Murray, Civil Surgeon, Shahabad, said, 'When taken very moderately, and when a man takes plenty of good food and otherwise lives in accordance with the laws of health, it would appear to be practically harmless, if we may judge by the number who indulge in the habit and compare their physique with those who do not. I append herewith the statements of those prisoners in Arrah Jail, who allow that they smoke ganja. Ganja-Smoking. Ramlal Bari.—Aged 69 years, smoked ganja twice a day...Gopi Sing.—Sixty years of age, smoked ganja twice daily for three years : so long as he took good food was no worse. His digestion was improved.' Maharaja Girihanath Roy Bahadur, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur, said, 'old and dyspeptic people use it to facilitate digestion. I refer to moderate habitual and occasional use.' Babu Beprodas Banerjee, Brahman, Pleader, Newspaper Editor, and Chairman, Baraset Municipality, said, '"Smoke ganja moderately and you may live for three hundred years," says another ancient physician...Moderate use of opium and bhang leads to longevity. This is seen and known throughout the country. The tone of the system remains the same.' Chintamani Nand Vidya Bhushana, Uria Brahmin, late Tahsildar, Sonepur, Sambalpur, said, 'As to the use of ganja, the following has been prescribed in the treatise on medicine on account of its medicinal qualities. The names " bhanga, ganja matulâni, madini bijayâ, jaya, and shakrâsana " are given to this drug. Bhanga is destructive of asthma; costive, digestive; productive of "pitta," stupefaction or intoxication. It is light, sharp, warm, produces activity in speech, increases appetite, destroys leprosy, creates strength, furthers sense, and in its constant practice it allays the effects of old age and diseases; makes the body long lasting. One more name " trilokya vijayâ" is given to it, and it is mixed with many sorts of medicines, such as modaka (pills), chûrna (powders), and is also mixed with "bhasmâs," such as banga, etc., in order to reduce it to ashes. If regularly used, according to the Shâstras, it keeps the state of youth firm.' Apothecary George Murphy, Civil Surgeon, Mandla, said, 'The moderate use of ganja and bhang is practically harmless. Most of the very poor, who are constantly subjected to excessive exertion, insufficient food, and exposure to cold and damp, partake of the drugs from early youth to old age without developing any evil symptoms. Moderate consumers of the better classes also show no signs of bodily nor mental decay.' Assistant Surgeon, J. E. Bocarro, Lecturer, Medical School, Hyderabad (Sind), said, 'Compared with such intoxicants as opium or alcohol, or with its sister-products, charas and ganja, bhang may certainly be said to be harmless when consumed in moderate quantities. The enervating effects of charas and ganja are absent in bhang. Its harmlessness appears best en evidence in those who have used the drug over periods varying from 15 to 40 years, and have, notwithstanding, lived to a ripe old age. In my notes of 150 cases and upwards, fully two-thirds are over the age of 40, a good many have attained the age of 50, and not a few even 60 years and more. I have personally examined a large number of those between the ages of 40 and 60 years, and have found them to be not only sound in all their internal organs, but also of good bodily frame. Further, what might appear to be a strange thing is that most of them have even preserved good vision. Cataractous condition of the lens is, I observe, an uncommon thing among those who take bhang in moderation. In the case mentioned under section 31 ante, the individual possessed excellent visual power for his age.' Pesumal Narumal, Farmer and Merchant, Hyderabad, said, 'Old persons use bhang for aiding the powers of digestion.' Dr. O. W. Jones, Civil Surgeon, Basim, said, 'There are men who have been in the habit of smoking ganja from adult to old age, and have not bodily suffered in any way, but give it as their experience that moderate smoking has often removed fatigues and stayed the pangs of hunger.'
We do, however, see in some of the evidence before the Hemp Commission by the members of the ruling upper classes and castes the bias towards bhang and the bias against ganja and charas that was gradually built up through anti-ganja propaganda. If bhang is beneficial, then so is ganja and charas because all three are the products of the same cannabis plant - its leaves, flowers and resin - containing the same cannabinoids. Concentrations of cannabinoids may definitely be greater in ganja and charas than in bhang, but the consumer balances this out by consuming much larger quantities of bhang, as compared to ganja and charas. Modern science validates the evidence that cannabis is beneficial to the elderly through numerous studies. None of these modern studies differentiate or discriminate between bhang, ganja and charas, but treat all three equally reflecting the better understanding that has been gained by science in more recent times, unlike in the past where the ruling upper classes and castes viewed bhang - that they themselves used - as harmless and beneficial, and ganja and charas - used by the lower classes and castes - as harmful and disreputable.
Today, in places where cannabis has been legalized for medical or recreational use, the elderly comprise the fastest growing age demographic of cannabis users. The elderly are replacing synthetic pharmaceutical drugs, including opioids, with cannabis to treat various aging relation health conditions such as anxiety, arthritis, stress, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, for digestion, pain and insomnia, cancer, diabetes, dementia, to name a few. Corroborating what the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission found in 1894-95, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020 says, 'Increases in the proportion of daily users of cannabis were observed mainly among males, young people aged 18–24 and those aged 65 and older.' There is changing perception among the elderly regarding cannabis. NORML reports that 'A team of researchers affiliated with the University of California, San Diego assessed the attitudes of older Americans (ages 65 and older) in a nationally representative cohort of 18,794 adults. They reported that the percentage of older adults “who believe that people who smoke cannabis once or twice a week are at great risk of harming themselves physically and in other ways” had decreased nearly 20 percent between the years 2015 and 2019. The study’s finding is consistent with data showing a significant uptick in self-reported cannabis use by older Americans and seniors. Most recently, data from Washington state reported that 25 percent of women and 38 percent of men ages 50 and older had used cannabis within the past year, up from 15 percent and 23 percent just two year earlier.' Many elderly persons are switching to cannabis use on their own i.e. they are self medicating after hearing about its benefits from others in their community. Physicians, in general, belong to the reefer madness generation, or are staunch supporters of the synthetic pharma industry from whom they get vast benefits. In some places, it is for fear of losing their licenses. So, in most places, the physician is unlikely to recommend cannabis. The decision to use cannabis as medicine is usually taken solely by the elderly patient. Marijuana Moment reports that '“Although some respondents had a prescription for marijuana, most purchased it without a prescription for a variety of medical conditions common to primary care (pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia), the study authors wrote. “Thus, in states with recreationally available marijuana, older adults may be using marijuana in addition to their prescribed regimens, so it is important to inquire about marijuana use regardless of age.”'
Today, where cannabis has been legalized for medical and/or recreational purposes, it is primarily for its medical benefits that the elderly are consuming cannabis. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020 says, 'In the second and third quarters of 2019, 52 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 and older reported using cannabis for medical purposes (with or without proper documentation for such use).' On the overall benefits of cannabis usage in the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Older patients report experiencing better health and well-being following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal Drugs & Aging. British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in a cohort of patients ages 65 and older. (British specialists are permitted to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Study participants primarily suffered from chronic pain. Patients consumed cannabis products for three months. Consistent with the findings of other observational studies, older patients reported “significant improvements” following cannabis use, including “substantial reductions” in pain severity. The study’s authors concluded: “There were consistent improvements across measures of general health and well-being after three months of treatment. … These findings accord with a growing body of observational and real-world evidence from jurisdictions that have legalized medicinal cannabis that cannabis is effective for improving sleep, mood and quality of health across multiple primary conditions.”' NORML reports about another study, stating that, ''Investigators reported a “strong positive association” between subjects’ frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements in pain, health-care utilization, and overall health-related quality of life. Participants failed to report any statistically significant association between medical cannabis use and adverse events. They concluded: “[We] identified a strong positive association between higher frequency of cannabis use and improvement to HRQL and HCU [health-care utilization] scores. … Our regression modeling also identified a strong positive relationship between higher frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements to pain symptoms. The positive relationship between near-daily use and improved reports offers further evidence of the perceived value of medical cannabis as a therapeutic approach for pain management.”' Wiley Publications reports that 'Most older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression. Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.'
On the increasing number of the elderly who are consuming cannabis as medicine, replacing harmful and expensive synthetic prescription drugs, opioids, alcohol and tobacco, NORML reports that, 'According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Panel Study Annual Report, 21 percent 50-year-olds and 19 percent of 60-year-olds say that they have consumed cannabis during the past year. Those are the highest percentages ever reported by the survey. The survey’s findings are consistent with those of others reporting rising rates of cannabis use among older adults and seniors over the the past decade. Separate data published earlier this year found that most older adults possess positive perceptions about cannabis, and several recent studies show that marijuana use is typically associated with quality of life improvements in seniors. Commenting on the findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “It is not surprising that a rising percentage of adults consider cannabis to be a viable option in their later years. Many older adults struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep, and other conditions for which cannabis products often mitigate. Many older adults are also well aware of the litany of serious adverse side-effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they perceive medical cannabis to be a practical and potentially safer alternative.”' NBC reports in the US that 'The study looked at of three years of survey data, collected from 2016 to 2018, on cannabis use in 171,507 adults ages 55 and up from 19 states and two territories. Men ages 60 to 64 reported the highest rates of marijuana use, with 12.6 percent of those surveyed saying they used the drug in the past 30 days in 2018, up from 8.9 percent in 2016. Over the same time period, use also nearly doubled among men ages 65 to 69 (rising from 4.3 percent in 2016 to 8.2 percent in 2018) and among men ages 70 to 74 (from 3.2 percent to 6 percent). There was less change in the use among women.' MJBizDaily reported that 'Past-month cannabis use for Americans 65-69 years old increased between 2016 and 2018, from 4.3% to 8.2% for men and from 2.1% to 3.8% among women, according to a new report published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine.' NORML reported, in February 2020, that 'Cannabis use is increasing among those ages 65 and older, according to data published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers affiliated with the New York School of Medicine assessed trends in self-reported cannabis use among seniors. They reported that 4.2 percent of seniors acknowledged engaging in past-year cannabis consumption in 2018, up from 2.4 percent in 2015 and 0.4 percent in 2006. The study's findings are consistent with those of prior papers similarly reporting an uptick in marijuana use among older Americans. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, marijuana use among seniors is associated with self-reported improvements in pain management, day-to-day functioning, and in their overall health and quality of life' As early as in 2016, Science Daily had reported about the increasing use of cannabis as medicine among the elderly in New York state. It said. 'The authors found a 71% increase in marijuana use among adults aged 50 and older between 2006 and 2013. Adults ages 65 and older had a significantly lower prevalence of marijuana use compared to those ages 50-64, but prevalence of use increased two and a half times over eight years. Overall, prevalence was higher among men than women through all years. "We found only five percent of these older adults felt using marijuana once or twice a week was a great risk to their health" said Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, a CDUHR affiliated researcher and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYULMC.' Sage Publications reported that 'The greatest increase in marijuana use was observed among those in the older adult population 50 years or older, and those 65 years or older had the greatest increase in marijuana use in the older adult population. '
On the mental health benefits of cannabis for the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Older adults who reside within a 30-minute drive of a licensed medical cannabis dispensary report experiencing fewer days of poor mental health, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Researchers affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh and with John Hopkins University in Baltimore assessed whether proximity to medical cannabis dispensaries was associated with self-reported changes in adult’s mental health. They reported that local dispensaries were associated with “considerable mental health benefits for older adults.” Specifically, they determined, “[M]edical cannabis availability affected a 3.48 percentage point decrease in persons aged 65 and above reporting having any past-month poor mental health days, a nearly 10 percent decrease from a baseline of 36.3 percent.”' Wiley Publications reports that, 'These results suggest that use of whole plant MC does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of MC in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late-life cannabis use for brain health.' NORML reports on another study, that, 'Investigators identified “no significant differences in cognitive function” between the two groups. They wrote: “In this sample of individuals with neuropathic pain, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance between non-MC [medical cannabis] licensed and licensed patients, and evidence for lack of an association was stable and moderate. In addition, no significant associations of various aspects of MC use patterns, including THC/CBD concentration, frequency and length of use, dosage and length of abstinence with cognitive performance were detected. Moreover, both MC licensed and non-licensed patients performed relatively similar to a standardized population with no chronic pain.” Authors concluded: “More accepting public attitudes and policies related to cannabis use, in addition to increasing life expectancy, are expected to result in increasing numbers of middle- and old-aged individuals who use cannabis for long periods. Considering the accumulating evidence showing efficacy of cannabis use for multiple health conditions common in older individuals, the lack of adverse effects on the brain in the current sample of individuals with chronic pain who were older than 50 years can contribute to a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population.”'
On the benefits of cannabis use against cancer in the elderly, NORML reports that, 'Lifetime cannabis use is associated with lower rates of prostate cancer, according to observational data published in the journal Biomedicines. Researchers affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and prostate cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 2,503 participants. Investigators reported that subjects between the ages of 50 and 64 who identified as either current or former cannabis consumers possessed a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses. Scientists suggested that this finding provides “biological support for the anti-cancer effects of the constituents of marijuana.” Numerous preclinical trials have documented the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth. The study’s authors reported: “In this cross-sectional study of 2503 participants from the USA using the NSDUH [National Survey on Drug Use and Health] from 2002 to 2020, we observed that individuals who were former marijuana users had a significantly lower rate of self-reports of having PC [prostate cancer]. Additionally, the current marijuana users also trended towards lower self-reports of PC. … Specifically, among participants aged greater than 65 years, former marijuana use was linked to reduced self-reports of PC compared to never using.”' NORML reports in another study that 'Among cancer patients ages 65 or older, eight percent of tested positive for cannabis exposure. A separate study published in October in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that an estimated 25 percent of cancer patients self-report using cannabis medicinally, but that paper did not stratify respondents by age. “As one of the first studies to assess cannabis use via objective testing rather than self-report, this study adds significantly to the emerging literature on cannabis use in people aged 65 years and older,” researchers concluded. “Findings suggest the rate of use in older adults living with cancer is higher than that among older adults in the general population.”'
On the benefits of cannabis for sleep, High Times reports that 'The researchers found that overall, cannabis helped seniors get, on average, an 30 extra minutes of sleep. Those being studied used smartphones and actigraphy watches to log their sleep patterns, similar to the way sleep patterns are logged by smartwatch devices. The patients recorded when they fell asleep and woke up and if they took the watches off.'
Chronic pain is probably the one condition that most elderly have in common. So far, elderly who can afford it only have harmful opioids, NSAIDs, and alcohol to ease their pain. The devastating overdose deaths from opioids have not spared the elderly. I suspect that many of the elderly opioid and NSAID overdose deaths are under-reported with deaths finally attributed to other causes, such as respiratory, liver or kidney failure. There is also the stigma of opioid and NSAID addiction that family members do not want to be made public, and this is suppressed when it comes to opioid and NSAID overdose deaths among the elderly. In many cases, neither the elderly, nor their family members, recognize the signs of opioid and NSAID addiction in the elderly. The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), known until 2024 as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), reports that 'The reported number of overdose deaths is continually increasing among older age groups. While users aged over 40 years represented around one third of the deaths 10 years ago, they represented around half in 2017. Older people (over 50 years) represent a small proportion of all drug-induced deaths, but the number doubled between 2007 and 2017. This reflects the ageing nature of Europe’s opioid-using population in most countries. It is important because older high-risk drug users may be at the greatest risk of drug overdose death.' Studies have found that opioid tolerance is lower in the elderly, compared to the general population. It is especially lower for first time users, and users of high potency opioids like fentanyl. NCBI reports that 'When tolerance prevalence was stratified by age, patients 75 years and older were the least likely to show evidence of opioid tolerance when initiating OTOs [opioid-tolerant only medications], with only 6240 of 29362 episodes (21.3%) among patients 75 years and older occurring with evidence of prior tolerance; this was particularly evident with transdermal fentanyl, for which only 3601 of 26113 episodes (13.8%) among patients 75 years and older occurred with evidence of opioid tolerance, compared with 4309 of 9760 use episodes (44.1%) among patients aged 35 to 44 years occurring among patients with evidence of opioid tolerance. Because the evidence of prior tolerance for newly prescribed transdermal fentanyl was particularly low, we calculated tolerance prevalence stratified by initial dosage strength and insurance group. At each dosage strength, patients with commercial insurance were more likely to show prior tolerance than patients with Medicare Advantage, and prior tolerance rates increased with higher dosage strengths. Even at the highest dosage strength examined (100 µg/h), only half of patients with commercial insurance (889 of 1715 patients [51.8%]) and less than half of patients with Medicare Advantage (448 of 1005 patients [44.6%]) had evidence of prior tolerance.' This also shows that the rich opioid user is likely to have better tolerance from longer periods of usage than the poor opioid user who has not been exposed to opioids so much. In general, it is only the elderly among the upper classes who can afford the currently available pain management drugs, irrespective of which country they belong to. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, states that 'Even in the case of Governments that are strongly committed to addressing challenges and barriers to access, financial resources may not be available to make systemic changes. Moreover, because of the high cost of pain medications, in many high-income countries and in most low- and middle-income countries, where a large number of people are not covered by either health insurance or a national health-care system, many people can encounter difficulties in accessing the pain medications that they need'
Studies have found that legalizing cannabis results in reduced overall opioid use in elderly populations that are covered by medical insurance. Live Science reported a few years back that 'Studies suggest marijuana use is rising fastest among older Americans—a group that's also most likely to have the type of pain conditions that respond best to marijuana, the researchers said. Opioid prescriptions fell by 2.21 million daily doses per year, on average, in states that legalized medical marijuana — an 8.5-percent decrease — compared with opioid prescriptions in states that didn't legalize the drug.' This is good enough reason for the pharmaceutical, medical and medical insurance industries to oppose cannabis legalization. Wiley Publications reports that 'Using data from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database between 2009 and 2015, we studied the effects of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer-sponsored health insurance. We used a differences-in-differences (DD) approach and found that the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) reduced morphine milligram equivalents per enrollee by 7% and 13%, respectively. The reduction associated with MMLs was predominately in people aged 55–64, whereas the reduction associated with RMLs was largely in people aged 35–44 and aged 45–54. Our findings suggest that both MMLs and RMLs have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing in the privately insured population, especially for the middle-aged population.' NORML reports that 'The use of medical cannabis by older adults with a chronic pain condition is associated with improvements in their quality of life, according to data published in the journal Cannabis. Investigators with the University of Florida at Gainesville assessed the use of medical cannabis over a three-month period in a cohort of 46 middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with chronic pain. They reported that subjects experienced significantly lower levels of pain following the use of medical cannabis, as well as improvements in sleep, anxiety/depression, and in overall quality of life. ' In terms of neurological diseases, and associated pain, NORML reports that 'Investigators reported that patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, perceived the greatest overall benefits from cannabis therapy. Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting health-related quality of life benefits among older patients who consume cannabis. Subjects were most likely to report cannabis to be effective for improving sleep and for reducing pain – findings that are consistent with other studies. By contrast, patients suffering from spondylosis were least likely to perceive benefits from cannabis therapy. Authors concluded: “This retrospective medical record review describes the population characteristics of patients using medicinal cannabis at a clinic in Sydney, Australia and provides data on the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabis treatment on patient conditions and indications. … [Its findings] indicate that medicinal cannabis, in a balanced formulation, may address a variety of non-cancer conditions and indications concurrently and can be safely prescribed by a medical doctor.”'
Cannabis usage results in lower hypertension and blood pressure. NORML reports that 'A team of investigators affiliated with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University assessed the impact of medical cannabis administration on hypertension in 26 elderly patients (mean age: 70) over a three-month period. Study subjects ingested cannabis either orally (via oil extracts) or by smoking. Researchers performed the following assessments on the participants: 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, ECG, blood tests, and anthropometric measurements prior to the initiation of cannabis therapy and three months afterward. The primary outcome was change in mean 24-hour blood pressure at three months. Authors reported, “Cannabis treatment for three months was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate.” Several of the subjects in the study reported symptoms of dizziness following cannabis administration. Patients’ use of cannabis was not association with an elevated risk of arrhythmias during the study period.'
Weakening of bones, and the damage that this causes, is a common medical condition as one ages. Reporting on the benefits of cannabis for bone health, NORML reports that 'Cannabidiol demonstrates bone-protecting activity in both cellular and animal models of osteoporosis, according to preclinical data published in the journal Calcified Tissue International. Researchers affiliated with New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine investigated the effects of CBD in vitro using human osteoprogenitor cells and in vivo via a murine femur fracture model. They reported that human cells pre-treated with CBD showed significantly higher levels of osteocalcin – a bone-producing hormone. They also reported that CBD-pretreated mice exhibited more rapid bone healing than controls. “Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that CBD exerts cell-specific effects which can be exploited to enhance bone metabolism,” authors concluded. “These findings also indicate that CBD usage in an osteoporotic population may positively impact bone morphology, warranting further research.”'
The Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment reported that the use of cannabis reduced tobacco usage among the older population. It reported that 'Highlights - Following initiation of medical cannabis use, 320 (49%) of participants that used tobacco/nicotine (T/N) reported reductions in use; Odds of T/N cessation were greater amongst those who were age 55 or older or that reported >25 T/N uses per day; Specific intent to use medical cannabis in T/N reduction/cessation efforts resulted in significantly greater odds of reducing T/N use.'
Obesity is one of the problems plaguing the elderly, as much as the young, especially in urban populations, and probably more so among the upper classes. This is a result of modern lifestyles including unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and sleep deprivation. Add smartphones to that list these days. I suspect that many of the synthetic pharmaceutical medications also, which the elderly consume in huge quantities over long periods of time, are contributors to obesity, as a part of the side effects including loss of appetite, taste and indigestion. Being obese causes serious health problems for the elderly who already suffer from lost of eyesight, hearing and mobility. Brittle bones, accompanied by being obese, is a surefire recipe for disaster in the elderly. A fall, or constant wear and tear of the musculo-skeletal framework, can result in an elderly person becoming bedridden. Many who get laid low in their old age never manage to get out of bed, as a result. It has been found in numerous studies that a cannabis user is more active, has a lower BMI and is less prone to be obese or underweight. This goes against the typical stereotype created as a part of anti-cannabis propaganda that the cannabis user does nothing but sprawl around all day on a sofa eating junk food. Well, the cannabis user might be doing that also, but invariably he or she is much fitter than a non-cannabis user. Nature Publications reports that 'The stereotypical image of a cannabis smoker is someone who sprawls on the sofa for hours surrounded by a haze of smoke and half-eaten snacks. The scene is played up for laughs in films, but social psychologist Angela Bryan thought it could be cause for concern. After all, cannabis is known to increase appetite and aid relaxation, which might put people at risk of health conditions such as obesity, says Bryan, who is at the University of Colorado Boulder. But digging into health trends revealed the opposite. Nationwide US studies report that, compared to non-users, cannabis users actually have a lower prevalence of obesity.' Loss of balance is also one of the factors contributing to crippling falls in old age. NORML reports that 'The report's author concluded: "[T]his case demonstrates how the patient was able to significantly benefit from the introduction of medical cannabis into her mental health intervention for the treatment of vertigo and a generalized anxiety disorder. In this case, the benefits for the 88-year-old patient using medical cannabis as a treatment in the both the short term and longer-term far outweighed the potential risks that may require consideration for children or adolescents."' NORML reports that 'Authors reported: “Results of this analysis indicated that compared to older adult non-users, older adult cannabis users had lower BMI at the beginning of an exercise intervention study, engaged in more weekly exercise days during the intervention, and were engaging in more exercise-related activities at the conclusion of the intervention. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that it may be easier for older adults who endorse using cannabis to increase and maintain their exercise behavior, potentially because cannabis users have lower body weight than their non-using peers. At minimum, the evidence suggests that cannabis use does not hinder older adults’ ability to engage in physical activity, to participate in a supervised exercise program, or to increase their fitness as a result of physical activity.”'
Anxiety is among the leading conditions for which cannabis is used in places where it has been legalized. Science Direct reports that 'Anxiety was a common reason for using cannabis among older adults. Overall, use of cannabis for anxiety is perceived to be helpful in alleviating symptoms. More research on cannabis in older adults is warranted including prevalence of use, efficacy in treating anxiety, and potential changes in concurrently prescribed anxiolytic medications as a result of cannabis use.' Anxiety is one of the major medical conditions that the elderly face. This is increasingly so today where they have less support structures and face increasing discrimination and isolation. The avalanche of information, much of which is falsified with the intent to create alarm, also contributes to anxiety. Seeing the world that they thought was so indestructible now decaying under the onslaught of human-induced climate change and environmental damage adds to the anxiety. So far, for those who can afford it, benzodiazepines have been the key class of drugs prescribed as anxiolytics to treat anxiety in the elderly. Although they replaced barbiturates which were highly addictive and harmful with benzodiazepines, the newer drugs are no less harmful than the ones they replaced. The harms associated with benzodiazepines are downplayed, especially their interactions with opioids and the role that they play in overdose deaths. NCBI reports that 'Although overdose receives less attention as a benzodiazepine-related adverse event, benzodiazepines are the second-most common medication class involved in pharmaceutical overdose deaths, and overdose deaths that involve benzodiazepines increased more than 6-fold from 1996 through 2014. More than 75% of benzodiazepine-related deaths involve opioids, and evidence continues to accumulate that use of benzodiazepines is associated with increased risk of opioid-related overdose and mortality. Given that older adults experienced the largest absolute increases in opioid-related mortality between 2001 and 2016 and also experience the highest rates of coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine prescribing may be associated with increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality among older adults.' Wikipedia says, regarding benzodiazepines, that 'Although benzodiazepines are much safer in overdose than their predecessors, the barbiturates, they can still cause problems in overdose. Taken alone, they rarely cause severe complications in overdose; statistics in England showed that benzodiazepines were responsible for 3.8% of all deaths by poisoning from a single drug. However, combining these drugs with alcohol, opiates or tricyclic antidepressants markedly raises the toxicity. The elderly are more sensitive to the side effects of benzodiazepines, and poisoning may even occur from their long-term use. The various benzodiazepines differ in their toxicity; temazepam appears most toxic in overdose and when used with other drugs.The symptoms of a benzodiazepine overdose may include; drowsiness, slurred speech, nystagmus, hypotension, ataxia, coma, respiratory depression, and cardiorespiratory arrest. In the United States, benzodiazepines are Schedule IV drugs under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, even when not on the market (for example, nitrazepam and bromazepam). The elderly are at an increased risk of both short- and long-term adverse effects, and as a result, all benzodiazepines are listed in the Beers List of inappropriate medications for older adults.' NCBI reports that 'Long-term use of BZRAs [Benzodiazepine receptor agonist] (> four weeks) in older adults should be avoided for most indications because of their minimal efficacy and risk of harm. Older adults have increased sensitivity to BZRAs and decreased ability to metabolize some longer-acting agents, such as diazepam. All BZRAs increase the risk of cognitive impairment, delirium, falls, fractures, hospitalizations, and motor vehicle crashes. Alternative management strategies for insomnia, anxiety disorders, and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (also known as responsive behaviours) are recommended. BRZAs have minimal efficacy for anxiety, insomnia, or responsive behaviours related to dementia. This is coupled with concerns about their associated adverse effects. These drugs commonly appear on lists of medications to avoid in the care of older patients'. Research, including by government bodies, has been increasing on the effects of cannabis on the elderly as compared to harmful opioids and benzodiazepines. The US National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that 'The purpose of this Notice is to inform potential applications to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute on Aging (NIA) of special interest in grant applications to conduct rigorous research on cannabis and potentially addictive, psychoactive prescription drug use (specifically opioids and benzodiazepine) in older adults. This program will focus on two distinct older adult populations (over the age of 50): (1) individuals with earlier use onset of cannabis and the specified drug classes who are now entering older age, or (2) individuals who initiate use of cannabis and the specified drug classes after the age of 50. Insights gained from this initiative have the potential to inform the public and health care systems regarding use of cannabis and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines in older populations.'
For oral and dental health, another area that the elderly are likely to suffer conditions in, Marijuana Moment reports that 'Results of the experiment indicated that the two cannabinoid-infused mouthwashes significantly inhibited the growth of bacteria—on par with the chlorhexidine. The two over-the-counter mouthwashes, meanwhile, had little to no detectable effect. “Cannabinoids (CBD / CBG) infused mouthwashes together with other natural key ingredients shows promising bactericidal activity in vitro against total-culturable aerobic bacterial content in dental plaque,” the study says, “with efficiency equivalent to or better than that of the gold standard (0.2% chlorhexidine).”'
In terms of liver safety when it comes to cannabis usage, as compared to the harms that alcohol and prescription synthetic pharmaceutical medication cause, and the overall benefits of cannabis use, NORML reports that 'Researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago and with Tarleton University in Texas assessed the daily use of CBD in a cohort of over 1,000 adults. Most of the study’s participants reported having consumed full-spectrum CBD tinctures for at least one year. Investigators concluded: “In this large-sample study, self-dosing [with] CBD was not associated with an increased prevalence of elevation of LT [liver tests] or low levels of TT [total testosterone] in men. Furthermore, CBD administration decreased DD [daytime drowsiness] and was associated with a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels in older men as compared to age-adjusted population norms. … [I]n those over 45 years of age, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of the general population.” Several population-based studies have reported that cannabis consumers typically possess lower BMI and other favorable indices related to diabetic control. Observational studies have also shown that the past use of cannabis is significantly associated with lower odds of diabetes in adults. Data published in 2021 similarly determined that the repeated use of oral CBD products is not associated with liver abnormalities, such as the elevated production of the enzyme alanine transaminase.'
Some witnesses to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission reported that cannabis use was associated with longetivity and youthfulness in the people that they observed. Bloomberg reports a study that showed increased longetivity, albeit on worms, stating that 'None of the 3,504 C. Elegans worms in the Canopy study died prematurely compared to a control group, even at significantly elevated doses -- a good sign for CBD’s safety, said Hunter Land, a senior director of science at Canopy. Better still, at doses in the range of human consumption, CBD extended the tiny roundworms’ lives by 18%, and they showed an increase in activity of 206%. “As they aged, they moved more like young animals,” Land, who designed the study, explained in a phone interview. “Rather than seeing something toxic, we see the opposite -- it actually increases health parameters.”' The activist John Sinclair, who served a long prison sentence for possession of two joints, got his redemption when he was the first person to make a legal purchase of recreational cannabis, at the age of 78, from a retail outlet in Michigan when it legalized adult recreational use. MLive reports that 'Marijuana activist and poet John Sinclair, although older now at 78, is no less the rebel he was in 1969. “I knew they were going to be after me, but you can’t let them determine your life,” he said of his 1971 release from prison for possession of two joints. About 9:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor with a happy line of hundreds wrapped around the block, Sinclair made what was likely the first-ever licensed recreational retail marijuana sale in Michigan.' David Crosby spends his old age in bliss homegrowing his own cannabis and enjoying it. Celebstoner reported that 'At 79, the Croz concluded: “We’ve been watching the effects of smoking marijuana on me for almost 60 years now. So far it hasn’t done anything we can tell. My memory has never been really great, and when I’m really stoned I have trouble remembering your name, but it hasn’t had any physical harm as far as we can tell.”' Leafly reports that, 'At home, Crosby keeps it simple by growing five distinct varietals he’s nicknamed for their most pronounced attributes, like Purple. He enjoys puffing on a Pax vaporizer starting usually in mid to late afternoon and concludes each day by rolling up a fat joint and watching a movie with his wife. In between he often finds cannabis to be a creative catalyst for his songwriting. He also enjoys growing cannabis as a creativity-stimulating pursuit, one that engenders a profound connection to the plant. “What I’ve learned from growing my own pot is that it’s an awful lot of fun. The plants are beautiful and lovely. They grow like crazy and truly respond to you. What I end up doing in the morning is making some coffee and wandering around in my underwear in the garden. I’ll pluck off a leaf here and there while I water them and tell them how lovely they are…. It’s wonderful.”' Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Paul McCartney are some respected elderly musicians who continue to use cannabis in their old age, and all these guys started smoking it probably quite early in their lives. Kieth Richards of the Rolling Stones, at the age of 80, begins his day with a nice joint rolled 'California style' as he says, and that is about as much cannabis as he smokes in the day.
Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most maligned compound in cannabis, and it faces almost singularly focused discrimination. THC is at the root of the illegality of cannabis, with a completely unscientific limit of 0.3% THC being considered as what differentiates legal cannabis from illegal cannabis. THC is also the most medicinal and beneficial compound in cannabis. The reason why it has been targeted is that it is a psychotropic compound, i.e. it makes you 'high'. High is another term for feeling euphoric. Since feeling euphoric apparantly is not medically approved - unless it is from prescription synthetic pharmaceutical medicine or the legal alcohol - THC forms the basis of most anti-cannabis policies world wide. Studies are constantly being undertaken to determine the effects of THC on people, including the elderly. Oxford University Press reports that 'Six articles reported findings for older populations (three human and three rodent studies), highlighting the paucity of research in this area. Human studies revealed largely null results, likely due to several methodological limitations. Better-controlled rodent studies indicate that the relationship between delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cognitive function in healthy aging depends on age and level of THC exposure. Extremely low doses of THC improved cognition in very old rodents. Somewhat higher chronic doses improved cognition in moderately aged rodents. No studies examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) or high-CBD cannabis on cognition.' NORML reports that 'A majority of seniors prescribed oral THC (dronabinol) for pain management report that it provides them with symptomatic improvements, according to data published in the journal of the German Medical Association. Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of dronabinol in 1,515 pain patients ages 75 or older. Nearly six-out-of-ten subjects reported improvements in their symptoms following cannabinoid therapy, with 22 percent of patients reporting that their condition was “notably improved.”' There are various studies to show that cannabis with potency of THC as high as 70% did not cause any severe side effects, society continues to target THC, especially when it sees its arguments against the whole plant slowly crumbling, and other cannabinoids like Cannabidiol (CDB) finding widespread approval, including from the World Health Organization.
The pharmaceutical industry and medical industry have been trying to corner the nascent medical cannabis market by creating synthetic cannabinoid products that they can sell for profit like other synthetic pharmaceutical medicine. They are trying to leverage the perception that anything that pharmaceutical companies produce, and the medical industry recommends, must be good. We see these synthetic cannabindoid based pharma industries resisting adult cannabis legalization, and resisting even use of natural cannabis as medicine, since that will mean that they cannot profit from a patented pharmaceutical drug. The medical cannabis pharma industry has been largely instrumental in delaying adult cannabis legalization in New York and New Jersey - states that finally had to bow to grassroots pressure and legalize adult use - and also the overturning of the people's will in South Dakota. Synthetic cannabinoids have been found to be not as effective as natural cannabis, and they may have unseen harmful effects since they have not been time and population tested like natural cannabis. MJBizDaily reports that 'Data was drawn from more than 4,000 people with COPD in Ontario who were over the age of 66 from 2006 to 2016. The patients were divided into two groups—new users of dronabinol or nabilone and those who never used synthetic cannabinoids. While patients who began treatment with either cannabinoid were no more likely to be hospitalized for COPD or pneumonia, they were significantly more likely to die of any cause. And patients who received higher-dose cannabinoids were much more likely to be hospitalized with COPD or pneumonia (178 percent) and to die of any cause (231 percent).' Reporting on the preference of most elderly for natural cannabis, rather than synthetic pharmaceutical cannabinoids, NORML says, 'All age groups reported herbal cannabis as “their most commonly used product” – a finding that is consistent with prior studies. Over 55 percent of respondents also reported having consumed edible cannabis products. Younger age groups were far more likely than older respondents to report consuming cannabis concentrates and ingesting cannabis products via a vaporizer (both dry vaporizers and vape pens). The use of tinctures and topicals varied little by age, though they were among the least popular products ranked by respondents. Those ages 65 or older were more likely to consume cannabis flower than any other form of the substance.'
Elderly care institutions mirror drug rehabilitation centers in their widespread use of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs to keep the inmate docile and sedated. This also enables those running these centers to have free access to the drugs themselves, as well as enables these centers to profit greatly from the wide spread use of synthetic pharmaceutical medications for which the patients themselves and their families pay for unquestioningly. Sage Publications reports that 'In addition to alcohol, some older adults have also been found to be drug abusers (Li and Jackson, 2016). These drugs include prescription drugs and illicit drugs. Older people are reported to have the highest prescription-drug abuse rate of any other age group (Briggs et al., 2011). Among the prescription drugs, benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed to individuals aged 65 years and older. In Australia’s aged care services, around 4.4 percent of residents report misusing opioids or benzodiazepines (Li and Jackson, 2016).' So we find elderly care homes to be among the most reticent when it comes to switching to cannabis instead of the cocktails of prescription pharmaceutical drugs for their residents. This is slowly changing in places where medical or recreational cannabis has been legalized. Senior Housing News reports that 'There’s a good chance of at least some marijuana or cannabis product use among any senior housing resident population, according to Dr. Cari Levy, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and president of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Board of Directors. “It has become much less stigmatized. Seniors talk to their peers, and they say, I got relief when I used this on my shoulder or my knee,” Levy said during a Senior Housing News webinar on the topic. “I would say probably 2 in 10 have used some formulation [of marijuana or cannabis products].”' The New York Times reports that '“People in their 80s and 90s, even retired Air Force colonels, are finding such relief” with cannabis, said Ms. Horne. “Almost everybody I know is using it in one form or another” — including her husband Hal, 68, a retired insurance broker, who says it helps him sleep. In fact, so many Laguna Woods seniors use medical cannabis — for ailments ranging from arthritis and diabetes nerve pain to back injuries and insomnia — that the local dispensary, Bud and Bloom, charters a free bus to bring residents to its Santa Ana location to stock up on supplies. Along with a catered lunch, the bus riders get a seniors discount.'
Where cannabis is legalized for medical or recreational purposes, the elderly find it easier to access it, unlike in places where cannabis is illegal. In places where cannabis is illegal, it is usually the youth who find it easier to access cannabis from the black market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2020 states that 'In 2019, young people aged 15–24 were more likely than those in older age groups to obtain cannabis from illegal sources, whereas a larger share of older cannabis users relied solely on legal sources; 41 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 or older reported using only legal sources to obtain cannabis, compared with roughly one quarter of the other age groups.' This turns the argument by anti-cannabis proponents - that legalizing cannabis will result in the youth accessing cannabis more - entirely on its head. The fact of the matter is that the illegal status of cannabis keeps it out of the hands of the middle aged and elderly, while delivering it into the hands of the youth. NORML reports that 'A pair of researchers affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin examined cannabis use patterns among a nationally representative cohort of 17,685 subjects aged 50+. Nine percent of respondents reported having used cannabis within the past year. Among them, nearly 20 percent (18.5 percent) defined their use as medical. Over 85 percent of older cannabis consumers said that it was either “fairly or very easy” for them to obtain cannabis, despite only a minority of respondents acknowledging having acquired marijuana products from state-regulated outlets. Most respondents said that they did not discuss their cannabis use with their primary health care providers.' One of the key benefits of adult recreational cannabis legalization in Canada in 2018 is the increased ease of access and affordability to the elderly. One of Canada's stated aims was to shrink the black market for cannabis. It achieved this within two years, with the legal market soon overtaking the illegal market. This increase in the size of the legal market was achieved through significant increase in the elderly population now making legal purchases, where earlier they were afraid of the safety of cannabis in the illegal market, as well as the risks involved in interacting with the black market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020, states that 'By the beginning of 2019, the prevalence of use in the past three months had increased to 17.5 per cent [of the overall Canadian population], and it remained close to that level until the third quarter of 2019 (17.1 per cent). While the prevalence of cannabis use in the past three months rose in most age groups in 2019, the most marked increase was observed in the oldest age group (65 and older), for which the prevalence nearly doubled in comparison with 2018. There also seems to be a larger proportion of new users among older adults than in other age groups: while 10 per cent of new cannabis users were aged 25–44 in the second and third quarters of 2019, more than one quarter were aged 65 and older.' In the US, The Washington Post reported in 2018 that 'The latest release of a massive federal drug use survey shows monthly marijuana use has skyrocketed among older Americans. The past decade, in fact, has seen a sea change in the demographics of marijuana use: As recently as the early 2000s, teens were more than four times more likely to use marijuana than 50- and 60-somethings. But as of 2017, Americans ages 55 to 64 are now slightly more likely to smoke pot on a monthly basis than teens ages 12 to 17. That difference is within the survey’s margin of error.' Numerous more recent studies have shown that teenage cannabis usage has constantly declined in the past decade where cannabis has been legalized for adult recreactional purposes, while elderly usage has steadily increased. Like I said before, keeping cannabis illegal stating that legalization will ruin the youth is, in fact, digging the grave of the elderly. Being elderly does not exempt a person from harassment by law enforcement for cannabis usage. Marijuana Moment reports that 'For “Mrs. Saltzman Goes to Jail: The True Story of a Michigan Outlaw,” Emmy-nominated filmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen pays a visit to Saltzman at her home in Lake George, a small resort town, and takes viewers through the senior citizen’s brief ordeal with local police in June.'
The fake pandemic Covid was more devastating for the elderly than for any other age group, with the exception of the very young. The elderly found themselves increasingly cut off from their social circles and isolated. The medical treatment that the elderly recieved for various existing conditions was cut off. The cases of domestic violence against the elderly spiralled because when entire families spent the whole day at home under stressful condition, it was often the elderly who were targeted as they were the weakest members of the family. Many were sent off to old aged homes or pushed out into the streets, that is if they did not have their skulls smashed at home. The worst impact on the elderly was that when they contracted colds and fevers that were a natural part of the changing seasons, they were diagnosed as having the fake pandemic Covid, and pumped with barrages of toxic cocktails of every imaginable category of medicines - anti-histamines, anti-virals, anti-bacterials, analgesics, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-depressants, anti-nausea, anti-insomnia, and so on. This was done to such an extent that the elderly probably formed the largest segment of the population that died from this attack by the pharma and medical industry. The elderly were specifically targeted since they had medical insurance coverage and were able to pay huge sums of money to get themselves killed by synthetic pharmaceutical medicine. In most cases, the already weakened kidneys and livers could not process the amount of toxicity that was pumped into the body. All this was however reported as deaths from Covid. The wealthy elderly died from overdoses of synthetic pharmaceutical medicine, while the poor elderly - who form the majority of the elderly population in the world - mostly died from starvation or domestic violence.
The proportion of the elderly in the global population is increasing everyday. Most so-called developed nations - yes, the very ones who got cannabis prohibited globally - have aging populations. In India, the elderly are projected to grow to about 20% of the population by 2050 from its current 10-15%, according to statistics. Today, the elderly who benefit from cannabis are the elderly among the rich and elite classes all over the world, who can access and afford the legal cannabis available in wealthy nations like the US, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Australia and Israel. For the majority of the world's elderly, it is the same story as that of the poor. Even in the rich nations, and among the upper classes of all nations, health care is strongly skewed in favor of the rich these days. As one grows older, one needs to pay higher insurance premiums to get medical coverage. What this does is that - as a person grows older and the need for medical care increases - the person needs to pay more and more just to ensure basic coverage for medicines and treatment. Even the elderly in middle-income groups struggle to pay this medical insurance premiums. Then need we say anything about the vast majority of the world's elderly population who are too poor to have medical insurance coverage? Most elderly will be turned back from treatment centers if it is found that they do not have medical insurance coverage. The majority of the elderly in the world suffer silently because they cannot handle the financial burden that comes with healthcare in advancing age. Universal healthcare - through legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use and permission for home growing - will instantly deliver the much needed care that the elderly urgently require. But the pharmaceutical industry, medical industry, the medical insurance industry and governments firmly resist this because it will drastically affect their current bottom lines and revenue streams.
Addiction is a big argument used by anti-cannabis propagandists to keep cannabis illegal. Most people believe that regular cannabis users - why, even a person who uses cannabis just once - becomes addicted to it. This is a result of the vast reams of fake information that have circulated around for decades. As early as during the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission study of 1894-95 it was found from observations of prisoners in jail that regular cannabis users suffer almost no discomfort when they are deprived of their cannabis, compared to persons who use opium. The Hemp Commission stated that - "But even in cases of excessive consumption, the difficulty [of deprivation] appears to be less with ganja than with alcohol or opium. (Point 479)." One of the world's leading experts whose expertise on opium addiction he gained through practical experience, William S Burroughs, wrote in 1953, in his book Junk that 'In 1937, weed was placed under the Harrison Narcotics Act. Narcotics authorities claim it is a habit-forming drug, that its use is injurious to mind and body, and that it causes the people who use it to commit crimes. Here are the facts: Weed is positively not habit forming. You can smoke weed for years and you will experience no discomfort if your supply is cut off. I have seen tea heads in jail and none of them showed withdrawal symptoms. I have smoked weed myself off and on for fifteen years, and never missed it when I ran out. There is less habit to weed than there is to tobacco. Weed does not harm the general health. In fact. most users claim it gives you an appetite and acts as a tonic to the system. I do not know of any other agent that gives as definite a boot to the appetite. I can smoke a stick of tea and enjoy a glass of California sherry and a hash house meal.' Despite all the evidence of cannabis being non-addictive, we find widespread association of the word 'addiction' with cannabis. One of the problems is that the word 'addiction' is used interchangeably with the word 'habit'. Cannabis is a habit, like drinking tea or coffee everyday. It is something that we like to do because it makes us feel good. Stopping the habit, for sudden shortage of cannabis or tea leaves or coffee powder will surely cause discomfort to those who have been long acquainted with it, but it is not life threatening. After a few days of going without the cannabis or tea or coffee, even the most regular and frequent user will adapt to getting by without it. Addictive substances are, however, entirely different. William S Burroughs gives his view on what is addictive. He says that a substance is addictive if it builds biological dependency on it to such an extent that its use alters the normal endocrinal systems of the body until the body stops secreting the natural enzymes and hormones that it needs. The drug takes over the function of normal biological processes and ceasing the use of the drug can be extremely harmful, and fatal in many instances. This is what happens when one consumes opium or alcohol over long periods and frequently. This is also what happens with tobacco addiction. So it is use of these types of drugs that cause addiction, and addiction can be defined as some substance to which we have developed biological dependency, so much so that its cessation can lead to death. If one uses this correct definition of addiction, we will see two interesting things happening: one is that cannabis no longer fits the description of an addictive substance; two is that nearly all the synthetic pharmaceutical medications that people take daily - and in many instances, more than once a day - then come under the category of addictive substances. Once a person starts taking a synthetic pharmaceutical drug regularly and frequently over a sufficiently long period of time, the body's normal biological functions are hijacked by the drug. The organs of the body that used to earlier naturally produce the enzymes and hormones - like the pancreas and liver - stop doing so, or reduce their production. The body becomes entirely reliant on the external medication. Cessation of this external medication will kill the body in this case, which is why most daily prescription medication takers are advised by the drug peddlers - their doctors - to never stop taking them. If one needs to get off these addictive synthetic prescription drugs, one must follow what an opium, tobacco or alcohol addict does, which is to slowly wean oneself off the drug instead of stopping abruptly. Neither the medical industry, nor the pharma industry, and definitely not governments, will acknowledge that they have created a society of addicts to synthetic pharmaceutical medicine.
Cannabis usage as medicine by the elderly - replacing numerous synthetic pharmaceutical medications that damage the environment through their manufacture and disposal, and the body through their usage - can not only heal their bodies, but also the planet as well. Syncsci reports that 'High drug consumption and polypharmacy, especially in the elderly, is one of the 21st century phenomenon. It has different undesirable side effects, which may directly affect the environment. It is known that pharmaceutical residues are excreted via patients’ urine or feces to wastewater, which is then discharged to the environment. Therefore high drug consumption is contributing to the continual rise in pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment, and address a rising cause for concern. Alternative treatments that can relieve or improve the patient’s clinical condition, thereby reducing the consumption of pharmaceuticals, hold great potential for reducing drug residues in the environment. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the reduction in pharmaceutical consumption in a nursing home for the elderly, as a result of treatment with medical cannabis. With time, medical cannabis treatment dramatically improved patients’ symptoms and their medical indexes. As a result, the local physicians stopped prescribing drugs that were defined as unnecessary. Overall, 39 dosages of prescription drugs were canceled for the 19 elderly individuals included in this research, indicating that medical cannabis can be an effective treatment that also reduces the environmental drug load, thereby preventing water pollution'
The easing of cannabis laws has multiple benefits for the economy. In aging populations, where there is increasing labor shortage, studies show that people are able to remain longer in the labour market where cannabis has been legalized for medical or recreational purposes. They are also able to do more labor intensive work. Wiley Publications reports that 'Three principle findings emerge from our analysis. First, active state medical marijuana laws lead to lower pain and better self-assessed health among older adults. Second, state medical marijuana laws lead to increases in older adult labor supply, with effects concentrated on the intensive margin. Third, the effects of MMLs are largest among older adults with a health condition that would qualify for legal medical marijuana use under current state laws. Findings highlight the role of health policy in supporting work among older adults and the importance of including older adults in assessments of state medical marijuana laws.' On the same subject, Science Magazine reported that 'The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes in several U.S. states is intended to improve health, particularly among elderly adults. Nicholas and Maclean investigated whether the introduction of such medical marijuana laws also has effects on labor supply among elderly adults. Using health and labor survey data, they found that older adults report reduced pain and increased overall health and that they are more likely to engage in full-time employment after the introduction of medical marijuana into a state. These effects are concentrated among those whose medical status qualifies them for a prescription of medical marijuana. These results suggest that providing older adults with access to medical marijuana may have beneficial effects on the older adult labor supply.' This however shows that the benefits may not be so great in places where the elderly are not covered by medical insurance or where a prescription is essential to access cannabis as medicine. This is why legalizing cannabis for adult recreational purposes is more important than legalizing it for just medical purposes. With legalization for only medical purposes, only the higher classes of the elderly can access and afford cannabis through medical insurance and a doctor's prescription. With adult recreational legalization, and especially with home growing, the poorest elderly person can access and afford cannabis. Most of the world's elderly fall in the poorest classes. Legalizing cannabis only for medical purposes will not reach them. For truly accessible, affordable universal healthcare for the elderly, cannabis must be legalized for adult recreational purposes, along with home growing.
Starting cannabis usage - just like learning anything new in life - is best done slowly. This applies to any age group, be it the young or the old. Being old means taking extra care when trying out cannabis, starting with low doses and seeing how it works before ramping up to higher doses. Most people who develop aversions to cannabis do so because they start straight away with a high dose that they find difficult to handle, leading them to think that cannabis is not suitable for them, or even downright harmful. The same thing would happen even if one went into high doses of alcohol at the start, why even sex for that matter if you ask me. Leafly has this advice for those in older age populations starting cannabis use, 'Ultimately, aging looks different for everyone, and no two bodies are exactly the same. There are multiple ways to have a healthy cannabis routine, and it’s entirely possible mine will change — possibly many times — as I continue to age. But one thing is for certain: consistency is essential for any cannabis consumer. “Sticking to a routine is key,” Tishler says. “Working with your cannabis specialist to find the right route and dose and then taking it consistently (like a medicine) leads to best benefit.” Whatever your preferences regarding consumption methods and THC content, you can’t go wrong with this standard cannabis advice: start low and go slow.' Many elderly appear to prefer consuming cannabis in tincture form, as NORML reports 'Researchers from New York University’s School of Medicine analyzed invoice data from nearly 6,000 patients ages 50 and older who patronized a state-licensed medical dispensary in New York state. Authors reported, “Older adults were more likely to use sublingual tincture versus other consumption methods, to use products with a lower THC:CBD ratio, and to begin cannabis treatment with a lower THC and higher CBD dose compared with younger age groups.”' When one ingests cannabis, other than through smoking, one must remember the delay in feeling the effects of cannabis, since it needs to enter the blood stream through the digestive system rather than through the lungs. This results in a delay in feeling the effects of cannabis when not smoked. Many first time users mistake the delayed effects as a lack of potency in the cannabis and end up ingesting higher doses that make them feel uncomfortable. Typically, one feels the effects of cannabis within five minutes when smoked, while it may take up to thirty minutes to feel it when ingested as tincture, beverage or edible.
Apparantly, it is a great experience to use cannabis with an elderly person, especially one's grand parents. Leafly reports that 'Growing up, Grandpa’s Breath was always louder than the TV he fell asleep in front of. And Granny was never stingy with anything except her secret stash of Grandma’s Batch. But now that we’re all grown up, there’s no need for a generational divide between cannabis lovers. A recent survey by edibles company Azuca shows that almost two thirds of cannabis users want to get lifted with their grandparents. As we learned from Danté Jordan in 2019, “If you ever have the chance to toke up with an elder member of your family, do that shit. It’ll be a memory you cherish forever.” Just don’t be surprised to find that your older relatives are two tokes ahead of you. A 2020 study showed that elderly citizens were some of the most avid consumers of cannabis in America, with use up 75% among those 65 and older.' Well, I never got the opportunity to smoke cannabis with even my parents, let alone my grandparents who passed away when I was quite young. In fact, now I am reaching the age of a grandparent, so those of you who have grandparents who like their ganja, you should make the most of the opportunity. It will most probably be healing for them and you.
The flower power and freak power generation of the 1960s and '70s almost overturned the power structures of the world, prompting the elite ruling upper classes and castes to come out even more strongly against the spiritual herb, cannabis. Now, the few members of these generations that still survive must be in their seventies and eighties. I think it is time that they saw the paradise on earth of peace, love and joy that they dreamt of. For me, as I approach my fiftieth birthday, I want my entheogen, intoxicant and medicine back where it belongs in nature and human society. I want all curbs and restrictions on the herb removed, so that there is no discrimination between it and all the other herbs of nature. I want to grow it as much as I like, and use it the way I like...Besides these basic freedoms, I want the price of retail ganja to be at Rs. 1000 a kilogram, as I stated in Cannabis Usage in 19th Century India: Regulation, Taxation and Revenue Systems and in Cannabis Pricing Revenue and Taxes. In addition, I want hashish to be priced at Rs.5000 a kilogram. If all the shackles on the herb are removed - and it is treated like any other plant in nature - this sort of retail pricing is easily achievable, making the price of cannabis comparable to coffee and tea. Then the people who need it the most, the poorest sections of society - especially the elderly among the poor - can afford and access it, if they are unable to grow it themselves. At that sort of pricing, I see myself smoking a joint, beedi, or chillum of ganja unmixed with tobacco daily on about an hourly basis, interspersed with smokes of pure hashish. Calculated at a requirement for me of roughly 12 grams of ganja and 2 grams of hashish a day, that would cost approximately Rs 700 a month - about the price of a bottle of Old Monk rum these days. With that, my overall annual expenditure on intoxicant, medicine and entheogen, combined, would be around Rs.8500 - a sustainable figure, I am sure, for a much larger number of people than it is today. It would mean the achievement of universal healthcare for almost the entire population. For me, it would enable me to blaze away into the sunset...
Related articles
The following list of articles taken from various media speak about the
above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of yours truly at the
time of reading the article.
'Older patients report experiencing better health and well-being following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal Drugs & Aging.
British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in a cohort of patients ages 65 and older. (British specialists are permitted to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Study participants primarily suffered from chronic pain. Patients consumed cannabis products for three months.
Consistent with the findings of other observational studies, older patients reported “significant improvements” following cannabis use, including “substantial reductions” in pain severity.
The study’s authors concluded: “There were consistent improvements across measures of general health and well-being after three months of treatment. … These findings accord with a growing body of observational and real-world evidence from jurisdictions that have legalized medicinal cannabis that cannabis is effective for improving sleep, mood and quality of health across multiple primary conditions.”'
https://norml.org/news/2024/06/27/study-older-patients-respond-favorably-to-medical-cannabis-products/
Older adults who reside within a 30-minute drive of a licensed medical cannabis dispensary report experiencing fewer days of poor mental health, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh and with John Hopkins University in Baltimore assessed whether proximity to medical cannabis dispensaries was associated with self-reported changes in adult’s mental health.
They reported that local dispensaries were associated with “considerable mental health benefits for older adults.” Specifically, they determined, “[M]edical cannabis availability affected a 3.48 percentage point decrease in persons aged 65 and above reporting having any past-month poor mental health days, a nearly 10 percent decrease from a baseline of 36.3 percent.”
https://norml.org/news/2024/06/06/analysis-proximity-to-medical-cannabis-facilities-associated-with-perceived-mental-health-improvements-in-older-adults/
Lifetime cannabis use is associated with lower rates of prostate cancer, according to observational data published in the journal Biomedicines.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and prostate cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 2,503 participants.
Investigators reported that subjects between the ages of 50 and 64 who identified as either current or former cannabis consumers possessed a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses. Scientists suggested that this finding provides “biological support for the anti-cancer effects of the constituents of marijuana.” Numerous preclinical trials have documented the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth.
The study’s authors reported: “In this cross-sectional study of 2503 participants from the USA using the NSDUH [National Survey on Drug Use and Health] from 2002 to 2020, we observed that individuals who were former marijuana users had a significantly lower rate of self-reports of having PC [prostate cancer]. Additionally, the current marijuana users also trended towards lower self-reports of PC. … Specifically, among participants aged greater than 65 years, former marijuana use was linked to reduced self-reports of PC compared to never using.”
https://norml.org/news/2024/05/30/study-history-of-cannabis-use-associated-with-lower-risk-of-prostate-cancer/
According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Panel Study Annual Report, 21 percent 50-year-olds and 19 percent of 60-year-olds say that they have consumed cannabis during the past year. Those are the highest percentages ever reported by the survey.
The survey’s findings are consistent with those of others reporting rising rates of cannabis use among older adults and seniors over the the past decade. Separate data published earlier this year found that most older adults possess positive perceptions about cannabis, and several recent studies show that marijuana use is typically associated with quality of life improvements in seniors.
Commenting on the findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “It is not surprising that a rising percentage of adults consider cannabis to be a viable option in their later years. Many older adults struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep, and other conditions for which cannabis products often mitigate. Many older adults are also well aware of the litany of serious adverse side-effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they perceive medical cannabis to be a practical and potentially safer alternative.”
https://norml.org/blog/2023/08/22/federal-survey-one-in-five-older-adults-have-consumed-cannabis-in-the-past-year/
'Investigators reported a “strong positive association” between subjects’ frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements in pain, health-care utilization, and overall health-related quality of life. Participants failed to report any statistically significant association between medical cannabis use and adverse events.
They concluded: “[We] identified a strong positive association between higher frequency of cannabis use and improvement to HRQL and HCU [health-care utilization] scores. … Our regression modeling also identified a strong positive relationship between higher frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements to pain symptoms. The positive relationship between near-daily use and improved reports offers further evidence of the perceived value of medical cannabis as a therapeutic approach for pain management.”'
https://norml.org/blog/2020/08/27/study-medical-cannabis-use-by-seniors-associated-with-improved-quality-of-life/
'The study looked at of three years of survey data, collected from 2016 to 2018, on cannabis use in 171,507 adults ages 55 and up from 19 states and two territories.
Men ages 60 to 64 reported the highest rates of marijuana use, with 12.6 percent of those surveyed saying they used the drug in the past 30 days in 2018, up from 8.9 percent in 2016. Over the same time period, use also nearly doubled among men ages 65 to 69 (rising from 4.3 percent in 2016 to 8.2 percent in 2018) and among men ages 70 to 74 (from 3.2 percent to 6 percent). There was less change in the use among women.'
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/marijuana-use-rise-older-adults-n1238914
'Discussion and Conclusions
These results suggest that use of whole plant MC does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of MC in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late-life cannabis use for brain health.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.13171
'The researchers found that overall, cannabis helped seniors get, on average, an 30 extra minutes of sleep. Those being studied used smartphones and actigraphy watches to log their sleep patterns, similar to the way sleep patterns are logged by smartwatch devices. The patients recorded when they fell asleep and woke up and if they took the watches off.'
https://hightimes.com/news/cannabis-use-associated-better-sleep-seniors/
'New data on senior cannabis use shows why these strategies matter.
Past-month cannabis use for Americans 65-69 years old increased between 2016 and 2018, from 4.3% to 8.2% for men and from 2.1% to 3.8% among women, according to a new report published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/how-cannabis-stores-attract-and-keep-senior-shoppers-even-during-covid-19/
'Investigators identified “no significant differences in cognitive function” between the two groups. They wrote: “In this sample of individuals with neuropathic pain, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance between non-MC [medical cannabis] licensed and licensed patients, and evidence for lack of an association was stable and moderate. In addition, no significant associations of various aspects of MC use patterns, including THC/CBD concentration, frequency and length of use, dosage and length of abstinence with cognitive performance were detected. Moreover, both MC licensed and non-licensed patients performed relatively similar to a standardized population with no chronic pain.”
Authors concluded: “More accepting public attitudes and policies related to cannabis use, in addition to increasing life expectancy, are expected to result in increasing numbers of middle- and old-aged individuals who use cannabis for long periods. Considering the accumulating evidence showing efficacy of cannabis use for multiple health conditions common in older individuals, the lack of adverse effects on the brain in the current sample of individuals with chronic pain who were older than 50 years can contribute to a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/10/01/study-use-of-cannabis-long-term-not-associated-with-cognitive-differences-in-older-adults
'Data was drawn from more than 4,000 people with COPD in Ontario who were over the age of 66 from 2006 to 2016. The patients were divided into two groups—new users of dronabinol or nabilone and those who never used synthetic cannabinoids. While patients who began treatment with either cannabinoid were no more likely to be hospitalized for COPD or pneumonia, they were significantly more likely to die of any cause. And patients who received higher-dose cannabinoids were much more likely to be hospitalized with COPD or pneumonia (178 percent) and to die of any cause (231 percent).'
https://mjbizdaily.com/synthetic-cannabinoids-linked-to-increased-hospitalizations-and-deaths-in-older-adults-with-copd/
'CONCLUSION
Most older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression.
Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.16833
'Older patients report experiencing better health and well-being following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal Drugs & Aging.
British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in a cohort of patients ages 65 and older. (British specialists are permitted to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Study participants primarily suffered from chronic pain. Patients consumed cannabis products for three months.
Consistent with the findings of other observational studies, older patients reported “significant improvements” following cannabis use, including “substantial reductions” in pain severity.
The study’s authors concluded: “There were consistent improvements across measures of general health and well-being after three months of treatment. … These findings accord with a growing body of observational and real-world evidence from jurisdictions that have legalized medicinal cannabis that cannabis is effective for improving sleep, mood and quality of health across multiple primary conditions.”'
https://norml.org/news/2024/06/27/study-older-patients-respond-favorably-to-medical-cannabis-products/
Older adults who reside within a 30-minute drive of a licensed medical cannabis dispensary report experiencing fewer days of poor mental health, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh and with John Hopkins University in Baltimore assessed whether proximity to medical cannabis dispensaries was associated with self-reported changes in adult’s mental health.
They reported that local dispensaries were associated with “considerable mental health benefits for older adults.” Specifically, they determined, “[M]edical cannabis availability affected a 3.48 percentage point decrease in persons aged 65 and above reporting having any past-month poor mental health days, a nearly 10 percent decrease from a baseline of 36.3 percent.”
https://norml.org/news/2024/06/06/analysis-proximity-to-medical-cannabis-facilities-associated-with-perceived-mental-health-improvements-in-older-adults/
Lifetime cannabis use is associated with lower rates of prostate cancer, according to observational data published in the journal Biomedicines.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and prostate cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 2,503 participants.
Investigators reported that subjects between the ages of 50 and 64 who identified as either current or former cannabis consumers possessed a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses. Scientists suggested that this finding provides “biological support for the anti-cancer effects of the constituents of marijuana.” Numerous preclinical trials have documented the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth.
The study’s authors reported: “In this cross-sectional study of 2503 participants from the USA using the NSDUH [National Survey on Drug Use and Health] from 2002 to 2020, we observed that individuals who were former marijuana users had a significantly lower rate of self-reports of having PC [prostate cancer]. Additionally, the current marijuana users also trended towards lower self-reports of PC. … Specifically, among participants aged greater than 65 years, former marijuana use was linked to reduced self-reports of PC compared to never using.”
https://norml.org/news/2024/05/30/study-history-of-cannabis-use-associated-with-lower-risk-of-prostate-cancer/
According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Panel Study Annual Report, 21 percent 50-year-olds and 19 percent of 60-year-olds say that they have consumed cannabis during the past year. Those are the highest percentages ever reported by the survey.
The survey’s findings are consistent with those of others reporting rising rates of cannabis use among older adults and seniors over the the past decade. Separate data published earlier this year found that most older adults possess positive perceptions about cannabis, and several recent studies show that marijuana use is typically associated with quality of life improvements in seniors.
Commenting on the findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “It is not surprising that a rising percentage of adults consider cannabis to be a viable option in their later years. Many older adults struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep, and other conditions for which cannabis products often mitigate. Many older adults are also well aware of the litany of serious adverse side-effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they perceive medical cannabis to be a practical and potentially safer alternative.”
https://norml.org/blog/2023/08/22/federal-survey-one-in-five-older-adults-have-consumed-cannabis-in-the-past-year/
'Investigators reported a “strong positive association” between subjects’ frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements in pain, health-care utilization, and overall health-related quality of life. Participants failed to report any statistically significant association between medical cannabis use and adverse events.
They concluded: “[We] identified a strong positive association between higher frequency of cannabis use and improvement to HRQL and HCU [health-care utilization] scores. … Our regression modeling also identified a strong positive relationship between higher frequency of cannabis use and self-reported improvements to pain symptoms. The positive relationship between near-daily use and improved reports offers further evidence of the perceived value of medical cannabis as a therapeutic approach for pain management.”'
https://norml.org/blog/2020/08/27/study-medical-cannabis-use-by-seniors-associated-with-improved-quality-of-life/
'The study looked at of three years of survey data, collected from 2016 to 2018, on cannabis use in 171,507 adults ages 55 and up from 19 states and two territories.
Men ages 60 to 64 reported the highest rates of marijuana use, with 12.6 percent of those surveyed saying they used the drug in the past 30 days in 2018, up from 8.9 percent in 2016. Over the same time period, use also nearly doubled among men ages 65 to 69 (rising from 4.3 percent in 2016 to 8.2 percent in 2018) and among men ages 70 to 74 (from 3.2 percent to 6 percent). There was less change in the use among women.'
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/marijuana-use-rise-older-adults-n1238914
'Discussion and Conclusions
These results suggest that use of whole plant MC does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of MC in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late-life cannabis use for brain health.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.13171
'The researchers found that overall, cannabis helped seniors get, on average, an 30 extra minutes of sleep. Those being studied used smartphones and actigraphy watches to log their sleep patterns, similar to the way sleep patterns are logged by smartwatch devices. The patients recorded when they fell asleep and woke up and if they took the watches off.'
https://hightimes.com/news/cannabis-use-associated-better-sleep-seniors/
'New data on senior cannabis use shows why these strategies matter.
Past-month cannabis use for Americans 65-69 years old increased between 2016 and 2018, from 4.3% to 8.2% for men and from 2.1% to 3.8% among women, according to a new report published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/how-cannabis-stores-attract-and-keep-senior-shoppers-even-during-covid-19/
'Investigators identified “no significant differences in cognitive function” between the two groups. They wrote: “In this sample of individuals with neuropathic pain, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance between non-MC [medical cannabis] licensed and licensed patients, and evidence for lack of an association was stable and moderate. In addition, no significant associations of various aspects of MC use patterns, including THC/CBD concentration, frequency and length of use, dosage and length of abstinence with cognitive performance were detected. Moreover, both MC licensed and non-licensed patients performed relatively similar to a standardized population with no chronic pain.”
Authors concluded: “More accepting public attitudes and policies related to cannabis use, in addition to increasing life expectancy, are expected to result in increasing numbers of middle- and old-aged individuals who use cannabis for long periods. Considering the accumulating evidence showing efficacy of cannabis use for multiple health conditions common in older individuals, the lack of adverse effects on the brain in the current sample of individuals with chronic pain who were older than 50 years can contribute to a better risk–benefit assessment of MC treatment in this population.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/10/01/study-use-of-cannabis-long-term-not-associated-with-cognitive-differences-in-older-adults
'Data was drawn from more than 4,000 people with COPD in Ontario who were over the age of 66 from 2006 to 2016. The patients were divided into two groups—new users of dronabinol or nabilone and those who never used synthetic cannabinoids. While patients who began treatment with either cannabinoid were no more likely to be hospitalized for COPD or pneumonia, they were significantly more likely to die of any cause. And patients who received higher-dose cannabinoids were much more likely to be hospitalized with COPD or pneumonia (178 percent) and to die of any cause (231 percent).'
https://mjbizdaily.com/synthetic-cannabinoids-linked-to-increased-hospitalizations-and-deaths-in-older-adults-with-copd/
'CONCLUSION
Most older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression.
Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.16833
'Results
Six articles reported findings for older populations (three human and three rodent studies), highlighting the paucity of research in this area. Human studies revealed largely null results, likely due to several methodological limitations. Better-controlled rodent studies indicate that the relationship between delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cognitive function in healthy aging depends on age and level of THC exposure. Extremely low doses of THC improved cognition in very old rodents. Somewhat higher chronic doses improved cognition in moderately aged rodents. No studies examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) or high-CBD cannabis on cognition.
Conclusions
This systematic scoping review provides crucial, timely direction for future research on this emerging issue. Future research that combines neuroimaging and cognitive assessment would serve to advance understanding of the effects of age and quantity of THC and CBD on cognition in healthy aging.'
https://academic.oup.com/acn/advance-article/doi/10.1093/arclin/acaa105/5960018
'Among cancer patients ages 65 or older, eight percent of tested positive for cannabis exposure. A separate study published in October in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that an estimated 25 percent of cancer patients self-report using cannabis medicinally, but that paper did not stratify respondents by age.
“As one of the first studies to assess cannabis use via objective testing rather than self-report, this study adds significantly to the emerging literature on cannabis use in people aged 65 years and older,” researchers concluded. “Findings suggest the rate of use in older adults living with cancer is higher than that among older adults in the general population.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/11/19/study-eight-percent-of-older-cancer-patients-are-using-cannabis
'None of the 3,504 C. Elegans worms in the Canopy study died prematurely compared to a control group, even at significantly elevated doses -- a good sign for CBD’s safety, said Hunter Land, a senior director of science at Canopy. Better still, at doses in the range of human consumption, CBD extended the tiny roundworms’ lives by 18%, and they showed an increase in activity of 206%.
“As they aged, they moved more like young animals,” Land, who designed the study, explained in a phone interview. “Rather than seeing something toxic, we see the opposite -- it actually increases health parameters.”'
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-22/worm-study-shows-cbd-science-has-a-way-to-go-cannabis-weekly
'All age groups reported herbal cannabis as “their most commonly used product” – a finding that is consistent with prior studies. Over 55 percent of respondents also reported having consumed edible cannabis products. Younger age groups were far more likely than older respondents to report consuming cannabis concentrates and ingesting cannabis products via a vaporizer (both dry vaporizers and vape pens). The use of tinctures and topicals varied little by age, though they were among the least popular products ranked by respondents. Those ages 65 or older were more likely to consume cannabis flower than any other form of the substance.'
https://norml.org/news/2021/01/14/study-herbal-cannabis-most-popular-method-of-ingestion-across-all-age-groups
'Using data from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database between 2009 and 2015, we studied the effects of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer-sponsored health insurance. We used a differences-in-differences (DD) approach and found that the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) reduced morphine milligram equivalents per enrollee by 7% and 13%, respectively. The reduction associated with MMLs was predominately in people aged 55–64, whereas the reduction associated with RMLs was largely in people aged 35–44 and aged 45–54. Our findings suggest that both MMLs and RMLs have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing in the privately insured population, especially for the middle-aged population.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4237
'Ultimately, aging looks different for everyone, and no two bodies are exactly the same. There are multiple ways to have a healthy cannabis routine, and it’s entirely possible mine will change — possibly many times — as I continue to age.
But one thing is for certain: consistency is essential for any cannabis consumer.
“Sticking to a routine is key,” Tishler says. “Working with your cannabis specialist to find the right route and dose and then taking it consistently (like a medicine) leads to best benefit.”
Whatever your preferences regarding consumption methods and THC content, you can’t go wrong with this standard cannabis advice: start low and go slow. '
https://www.leafly.com/news/health/cannabis-routine-and-aging
'Researchers from New York University’s School of Medicine analyzed invoice data from nearly 6,000 patients ages 50 and older who patronized a state-licensed medical dispensary in New York state.
Authors reported, “Older adults were more likely to use sublingual tincture versus other consumption methods, to use products with a lower THC:CBD ratio, and to begin cannabis treatment with a lower THC and higher CBD dose compared with younger age groups.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/04/29/analysis-older-patients-more-likely-to-consume-cannabis-tinctures-high-cbd-products
'A team of investigators affiliated with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University assessed the impact of medical cannabis administration on hypertension in 26 elderly patients (mean age: 70) over a three-month period. Study subjects ingested cannabis either orally (via oil extracts) or by smoking. Researchers performed the following assessments on the participants: 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, ECG, blood tests, and anthropometric measurements prior to the initiation of cannabis therapy and three months afterward. The primary outcome was change in mean 24-hour blood pressure at three months.
Authors reported, “Cannabis treatment for three months was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate.” Several of the subjects in the study reported symptoms of dizziness following cannabis administration. Patients’ use of cannabis was not association with an elevated risk of arrhythmias during the study period. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/01/28/cannabis-use-associated-with-reduced-hypertension-in-elderly-subjects/
'A pair of researchers affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin examined cannabis use patterns among a nationally representative cohort of 17,685 subjects aged 50+. Nine percent of respondents reported having used cannabis within the past year. Among them, nearly 20 percent (18.5 percent) defined their use as medical. Over 85 percent of older cannabis consumers said that it was either “fairly or very easy” for them to obtain cannabis, despite only a minority of respondents acknowledging having acquired marijuana products from state-regulated outlets. Most respondents said that they did not discuss their cannabis use with their primary health care providers. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/05/13/nearly-ten-percent-of-us-adults-over-age-50-have-used-cannabis-in-the-past-year
'A majority of seniors prescribed oral THC (dronabinol) for pain management report that it provides them with symptomatic improvements, according to data published in the journal of the German Medical Association.
Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of dronabinol in 1,515 pain patients ages 75 or older. Nearly six-out-of-ten subjects reported improvements in their symptoms following cannabinoid therapy, with 22 percent of patients reporting that their condition was “notably improved.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/03/analysis-oral-thc-administration-associated-with-pain-mitigation-in-elderly-patients
'A team of researchers affiliated with the University of California, San Diego assessed the attitudes of older Americans (ages 65 and older) in a nationally representative cohort of 18,794 adults. They reported that the percentage of older adults “who believe that people who smoke cannabis once or twice a week are at great risk of harming themselves physically and in other ways” had decreased nearly 20 percent between the years 2015 and 2019.
The study’s finding is consistent with data showing a significant uptick in self-reported cannabis use by older Americans and seniors. Most recently, data from Washington state reported that 25 percent of women and 38 percent of men ages 50 and older had used cannabis within the past year, up from 15 percent and 23 percent just two year earlier.'
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/10/fewer-older-americans-perceive-significant-risks-associated-with-marijuana-use
'Highlights
• Following initiation of medical cannabis use, 320 (49%) of participants that used tobacco/nicotine (T/N) reported reductions in use.
• Odds of T/N cessation were greater amongst those who were age 55 or older or that reported >25 T/N uses per day.
• Specific intent to use medical cannabis in T/N reduction/cessation efforts resulted in significantly greater odds of reducing T/N use.'
https://www.journalofsubstanceabusetreatment.com/article/S0740-5472(21)00207-5/fulltext
'Results: Studies identified both significant and insignificant impacts of cannabis on LBP [lower back pain]. Contradicting evidence was noted on the role of cannabis in the management of anxiety and insomnia, 2 common comorbidities with LBP. The existing literature suggests that cannabis may be used in the management of LBP and comorbid symptoms. Conclusions: Further research is needed to consider cannabis as an independent management option. There is a lack of evidence pertaining to the benefits of cannabis in an aged population, and thus, additional research is warranted to support its use in the aged population. '
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/518269
'Results. A total of 351 patients were located, and 319 completed the questionnaire. Mean age was 46 ± 12 years, 76% were female, 82% had fibromyalgia, ~9% had mechanical problems, ~4% had inflammatory problems, ~4% had neurological problems, and ~1% had other problems. The average monthly consumed dose of MC was 31, 35, 36, and 32g, with mean pain level reduction of 77%, 82%, 83%, and 57%, and mean sleep quality improvement of 78%, 71%, 87%, and 76% among patients with fibromyalgia, mechanical, neuropathic, and inflammatory problems, respectively. Mean THC and CBD contents were 18.38% ± 4.96 and 2.62% ± 4.87, respectively. The THC concentration, duration of MC consumption, and MC consumption dose had independent significant correlations with pain reduction while only the duration of MC consumption had an independent significant correlation with sleep quality improvement. Conclusions. MC had a favorable effect on pain level and quality of sleep among all spectrums of problems at the rheumatology clinic.'
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/prm/2021/1756588/
'Growing up, Grandpa’s Breath was always louder than the TV he fell asleep in front of. And Granny was never stingy with anything except her secret stash of Grandma’s Batch. But now that we’re all grown up, there’s no need for a generational divide between cannabis lovers.
A recent survey by edibles company Azuca shows that almost two thirds of cannabis users want to get lifted with their grandparents. As we learned from Danté Jordan in 2019, “If you ever have the chance to toke up with an elder member of your family, do that shit. It’ll be a memory you cherish forever.”
Just don’t be surprised to find that your older relatives are two tokes ahead of you. A 2020 study showed that elderly citizens were some of the most avid consumers of cannabis in America, with use up 75% among those 65 and older.'
https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/survey-60-percent-of-cannabis-users-want-to-get-high-with-a-grandparent
'The use of medical cannabis by older adults with a chronic pain condition is associated with improvements in their quality of life, according to data published in the journal Cannabis.
Investigators with the University of Florida at Gainesville assessed the use of medical cannabis over a three-month period in a cohort of 46 middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with chronic pain.
They reported that subjects experienced significantly lower levels of pain following the use of medical cannabis, as well as improvements in sleep, anxiety/depression, and in overall quality of life. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/10/28/study-medical-cannabis-improves-quality-of-life-in-older-adults-with-chronic-pain
Investigators reported that patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, perceived the greatest overall benefits from cannabis therapy. Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting health-related quality of life benefits among older patients who consume cannabis.
Subjects were most likely to report cannabis to be effective for improving sleep and for reducing pain – findings that are consistent with other studies. By contrast, patients suffering from spondylosis were least likely to perceive benefits from cannabis therapy.
Authors concluded: “This retrospective medical record review describes the population characteristics of patients using medicinal cannabis at a clinic in Sydney, Australia and provides data on the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabis treatment on patient conditions and indications. … [Its findings] indicate that medicinal cannabis, in a balanced formulation, may address a variety of non-cancer conditions and indications concurrently and can be safely prescribed by a medical doctor.”
https://norml.org/news/2023/03/16/study-plant-derived-cannabis-oils-effective-for-symptom-management-in-older-patients-with-treatment-resistant-neurological-diseases/
'Researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago and with Tarleton University in Texas assessed the daily use of CBD in a cohort of over 1,000 adults. Most of the study’s participants reported having consumed full-spectrum CBD tinctures for at least one year.
Investigators concluded: “In this large-sample study, self-dosing [with] CBD was not associated with an increased prevalence of elevation of LT [liver tests] or low levels of TT [total testosterone] in men. Furthermore, CBD administration decreased DD [daytime drowsiness] and was associated with a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels in older men as compared to age-adjusted population norms. … [I]n those over 45 years of age, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of the general population.”
Several population-based studies have reported that cannabis consumers typically possess lower BMI and other favorable indices related to diabetic control. Observational studies have also shown that the past use of cannabis is significantly associated with lower odds of diabetes in adults.
Data published in 2021 similarly determined that the repeated use of oral CBD products is not associated with liver abnormalities, such as the elevated production of the enzyme alanine transaminase.'
https://norml.org/news/2023/04/06/study-daily-use-of-cbd-tinctures-associated-with-decreased-daytime-drowsiness-no-increased-risk-of-liver-disease/
'Cannabidiol demonstrates bone-protecting activity in both cellular and animal models of osteoporosis, according to preclinical data published in the journal Calcified Tissue International.
Researchers affiliated with New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine investigated the effects of CBD in vitro using human osteoprogenitor cells and in vivo via a murine femur fracture model.
They reported that human cells pre-treated with CBD showed significantly higher levels of osteocalcin – a bone-producing hormone. They also reported that CBD-pretreated mice exhibited more rapid bone healing than controls.
“Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that CBD exerts cell-specific effects which can be exploited to enhance bone metabolism,” authors concluded. “These findings also indicate that CBD usage in an osteoporotic population may positively impact bone morphology, warranting further research.”'
https://norml.org/news/2023/04/27/cbd-administration-prevents-osteoporosis-in-preclinical-models/
Six articles reported findings for older populations (three human and three rodent studies), highlighting the paucity of research in this area. Human studies revealed largely null results, likely due to several methodological limitations. Better-controlled rodent studies indicate that the relationship between delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cognitive function in healthy aging depends on age and level of THC exposure. Extremely low doses of THC improved cognition in very old rodents. Somewhat higher chronic doses improved cognition in moderately aged rodents. No studies examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) or high-CBD cannabis on cognition.
Conclusions
This systematic scoping review provides crucial, timely direction for future research on this emerging issue. Future research that combines neuroimaging and cognitive assessment would serve to advance understanding of the effects of age and quantity of THC and CBD on cognition in healthy aging.'
https://academic.oup.com/acn/advance-article/doi/10.1093/arclin/acaa105/5960018
'Among cancer patients ages 65 or older, eight percent of tested positive for cannabis exposure. A separate study published in October in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that an estimated 25 percent of cancer patients self-report using cannabis medicinally, but that paper did not stratify respondents by age.
“As one of the first studies to assess cannabis use via objective testing rather than self-report, this study adds significantly to the emerging literature on cannabis use in people aged 65 years and older,” researchers concluded. “Findings suggest the rate of use in older adults living with cancer is higher than that among older adults in the general population.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/11/19/study-eight-percent-of-older-cancer-patients-are-using-cannabis
'None of the 3,504 C. Elegans worms in the Canopy study died prematurely compared to a control group, even at significantly elevated doses -- a good sign for CBD’s safety, said Hunter Land, a senior director of science at Canopy. Better still, at doses in the range of human consumption, CBD extended the tiny roundworms’ lives by 18%, and they showed an increase in activity of 206%.
“As they aged, they moved more like young animals,” Land, who designed the study, explained in a phone interview. “Rather than seeing something toxic, we see the opposite -- it actually increases health parameters.”'
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-22/worm-study-shows-cbd-science-has-a-way-to-go-cannabis-weekly
'All age groups reported herbal cannabis as “their most commonly used product” – a finding that is consistent with prior studies. Over 55 percent of respondents also reported having consumed edible cannabis products. Younger age groups were far more likely than older respondents to report consuming cannabis concentrates and ingesting cannabis products via a vaporizer (both dry vaporizers and vape pens). The use of tinctures and topicals varied little by age, though they were among the least popular products ranked by respondents. Those ages 65 or older were more likely to consume cannabis flower than any other form of the substance.'
https://norml.org/news/2021/01/14/study-herbal-cannabis-most-popular-method-of-ingestion-across-all-age-groups
'Using data from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database between 2009 and 2015, we studied the effects of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer-sponsored health insurance. We used a differences-in-differences (DD) approach and found that the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) reduced morphine milligram equivalents per enrollee by 7% and 13%, respectively. The reduction associated with MMLs was predominately in people aged 55–64, whereas the reduction associated with RMLs was largely in people aged 35–44 and aged 45–54. Our findings suggest that both MMLs and RMLs have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing in the privately insured population, especially for the middle-aged population.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4237
'Ultimately, aging looks different for everyone, and no two bodies are exactly the same. There are multiple ways to have a healthy cannabis routine, and it’s entirely possible mine will change — possibly many times — as I continue to age.
But one thing is for certain: consistency is essential for any cannabis consumer.
“Sticking to a routine is key,” Tishler says. “Working with your cannabis specialist to find the right route and dose and then taking it consistently (like a medicine) leads to best benefit.”
Whatever your preferences regarding consumption methods and THC content, you can’t go wrong with this standard cannabis advice: start low and go slow. '
https://www.leafly.com/news/health/cannabis-routine-and-aging
'Researchers from New York University’s School of Medicine analyzed invoice data from nearly 6,000 patients ages 50 and older who patronized a state-licensed medical dispensary in New York state.
Authors reported, “Older adults were more likely to use sublingual tincture versus other consumption methods, to use products with a lower THC:CBD ratio, and to begin cannabis treatment with a lower THC and higher CBD dose compared with younger age groups.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/04/29/analysis-older-patients-more-likely-to-consume-cannabis-tinctures-high-cbd-products
'A team of investigators affiliated with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University assessed the impact of medical cannabis administration on hypertension in 26 elderly patients (mean age: 70) over a three-month period. Study subjects ingested cannabis either orally (via oil extracts) or by smoking. Researchers performed the following assessments on the participants: 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, ECG, blood tests, and anthropometric measurements prior to the initiation of cannabis therapy and three months afterward. The primary outcome was change in mean 24-hour blood pressure at three months.
Authors reported, “Cannabis treatment for three months was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate.” Several of the subjects in the study reported symptoms of dizziness following cannabis administration. Patients’ use of cannabis was not association with an elevated risk of arrhythmias during the study period. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/01/28/cannabis-use-associated-with-reduced-hypertension-in-elderly-subjects/
'A pair of researchers affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin examined cannabis use patterns among a nationally representative cohort of 17,685 subjects aged 50+. Nine percent of respondents reported having used cannabis within the past year. Among them, nearly 20 percent (18.5 percent) defined their use as medical. Over 85 percent of older cannabis consumers said that it was either “fairly or very easy” for them to obtain cannabis, despite only a minority of respondents acknowledging having acquired marijuana products from state-regulated outlets. Most respondents said that they did not discuss their cannabis use with their primary health care providers. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/05/13/nearly-ten-percent-of-us-adults-over-age-50-have-used-cannabis-in-the-past-year
'A majority of seniors prescribed oral THC (dronabinol) for pain management report that it provides them with symptomatic improvements, according to data published in the journal of the German Medical Association.
Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of dronabinol in 1,515 pain patients ages 75 or older. Nearly six-out-of-ten subjects reported improvements in their symptoms following cannabinoid therapy, with 22 percent of patients reporting that their condition was “notably improved.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/03/analysis-oral-thc-administration-associated-with-pain-mitigation-in-elderly-patients
'A team of researchers affiliated with the University of California, San Diego assessed the attitudes of older Americans (ages 65 and older) in a nationally representative cohort of 18,794 adults. They reported that the percentage of older adults “who believe that people who smoke cannabis once or twice a week are at great risk of harming themselves physically and in other ways” had decreased nearly 20 percent between the years 2015 and 2019.
The study’s finding is consistent with data showing a significant uptick in self-reported cannabis use by older Americans and seniors. Most recently, data from Washington state reported that 25 percent of women and 38 percent of men ages 50 and older had used cannabis within the past year, up from 15 percent and 23 percent just two year earlier.'
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/10/fewer-older-americans-perceive-significant-risks-associated-with-marijuana-use
'Highlights
• Following initiation of medical cannabis use, 320 (49%) of participants that used tobacco/nicotine (T/N) reported reductions in use.
• Odds of T/N cessation were greater amongst those who were age 55 or older or that reported >25 T/N uses per day.
• Specific intent to use medical cannabis in T/N reduction/cessation efforts resulted in significantly greater odds of reducing T/N use.'
https://www.journalofsubstanceabusetreatment.com/article/S0740-5472(21)00207-5/fulltext
'Results: Studies identified both significant and insignificant impacts of cannabis on LBP [lower back pain]. Contradicting evidence was noted on the role of cannabis in the management of anxiety and insomnia, 2 common comorbidities with LBP. The existing literature suggests that cannabis may be used in the management of LBP and comorbid symptoms. Conclusions: Further research is needed to consider cannabis as an independent management option. There is a lack of evidence pertaining to the benefits of cannabis in an aged population, and thus, additional research is warranted to support its use in the aged population. '
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/518269
'Results. A total of 351 patients were located, and 319 completed the questionnaire. Mean age was 46 ± 12 years, 76% were female, 82% had fibromyalgia, ~9% had mechanical problems, ~4% had inflammatory problems, ~4% had neurological problems, and ~1% had other problems. The average monthly consumed dose of MC was 31, 35, 36, and 32g, with mean pain level reduction of 77%, 82%, 83%, and 57%, and mean sleep quality improvement of 78%, 71%, 87%, and 76% among patients with fibromyalgia, mechanical, neuropathic, and inflammatory problems, respectively. Mean THC and CBD contents were 18.38% ± 4.96 and 2.62% ± 4.87, respectively. The THC concentration, duration of MC consumption, and MC consumption dose had independent significant correlations with pain reduction while only the duration of MC consumption had an independent significant correlation with sleep quality improvement. Conclusions. MC had a favorable effect on pain level and quality of sleep among all spectrums of problems at the rheumatology clinic.'
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/prm/2021/1756588/
'Growing up, Grandpa’s Breath was always louder than the TV he fell asleep in front of. And Granny was never stingy with anything except her secret stash of Grandma’s Batch. But now that we’re all grown up, there’s no need for a generational divide between cannabis lovers.
A recent survey by edibles company Azuca shows that almost two thirds of cannabis users want to get lifted with their grandparents. As we learned from Danté Jordan in 2019, “If you ever have the chance to toke up with an elder member of your family, do that shit. It’ll be a memory you cherish forever.”
Just don’t be surprised to find that your older relatives are two tokes ahead of you. A 2020 study showed that elderly citizens were some of the most avid consumers of cannabis in America, with use up 75% among those 65 and older.'
https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/survey-60-percent-of-cannabis-users-want-to-get-high-with-a-grandparent
'The use of medical cannabis by older adults with a chronic pain condition is associated with improvements in their quality of life, according to data published in the journal Cannabis.
Investigators with the University of Florida at Gainesville assessed the use of medical cannabis over a three-month period in a cohort of 46 middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with chronic pain.
They reported that subjects experienced significantly lower levels of pain following the use of medical cannabis, as well as improvements in sleep, anxiety/depression, and in overall quality of life. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/10/28/study-medical-cannabis-improves-quality-of-life-in-older-adults-with-chronic-pain
Investigators reported that patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, perceived the greatest overall benefits from cannabis therapy. Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting health-related quality of life benefits among older patients who consume cannabis.
Subjects were most likely to report cannabis to be effective for improving sleep and for reducing pain – findings that are consistent with other studies. By contrast, patients suffering from spondylosis were least likely to perceive benefits from cannabis therapy.
Authors concluded: “This retrospective medical record review describes the population characteristics of patients using medicinal cannabis at a clinic in Sydney, Australia and provides data on the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabis treatment on patient conditions and indications. … [Its findings] indicate that medicinal cannabis, in a balanced formulation, may address a variety of non-cancer conditions and indications concurrently and can be safely prescribed by a medical doctor.”
https://norml.org/news/2023/03/16/study-plant-derived-cannabis-oils-effective-for-symptom-management-in-older-patients-with-treatment-resistant-neurological-diseases/
'Researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago and with Tarleton University in Texas assessed the daily use of CBD in a cohort of over 1,000 adults. Most of the study’s participants reported having consumed full-spectrum CBD tinctures for at least one year.
Investigators concluded: “In this large-sample study, self-dosing [with] CBD was not associated with an increased prevalence of elevation of LT [liver tests] or low levels of TT [total testosterone] in men. Furthermore, CBD administration decreased DD [daytime drowsiness] and was associated with a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels in older men as compared to age-adjusted population norms. … [I]n those over 45 years of age, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of the general population.”
Several population-based studies have reported that cannabis consumers typically possess lower BMI and other favorable indices related to diabetic control. Observational studies have also shown that the past use of cannabis is significantly associated with lower odds of diabetes in adults.
Data published in 2021 similarly determined that the repeated use of oral CBD products is not associated with liver abnormalities, such as the elevated production of the enzyme alanine transaminase.'
https://norml.org/news/2023/04/06/study-daily-use-of-cbd-tinctures-associated-with-decreased-daytime-drowsiness-no-increased-risk-of-liver-disease/
'Cannabidiol demonstrates bone-protecting activity in both cellular and animal models of osteoporosis, according to preclinical data published in the journal Calcified Tissue International.
Researchers affiliated with New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine investigated the effects of CBD in vitro using human osteoprogenitor cells and in vivo via a murine femur fracture model.
They reported that human cells pre-treated with CBD showed significantly higher levels of osteocalcin – a bone-producing hormone. They also reported that CBD-pretreated mice exhibited more rapid bone healing than controls.
“Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that CBD exerts cell-specific effects which can be exploited to enhance bone metabolism,” authors concluded. “These findings also indicate that CBD usage in an osteoporotic population may positively impact bone morphology, warranting further research.”'
https://norml.org/news/2023/04/27/cbd-administration-prevents-osteoporosis-in-preclinical-models/
'Cannabis use is increasing among those ages 65 and older, according to data published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers affiliated with the New York School of Medicine assessed trends in self-reported cannabis use among seniors. They reported that 4.2 percent of seniors acknowledged engaging in past-year cannabis consumption in 2018, up from 2.4 percent in 2015 and 0.4 percent in 2006.
The study's findings are consistent with those of prior papers similarly reporting an uptick in marijuana use among older Americans. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, marijuana use among seniors is associated with self-reported improvements in pain management, day-to-day functioning, and in their overall health and quality of life'
Researchers affiliated with the New York School of Medicine assessed trends in self-reported cannabis use among seniors. They reported that 4.2 percent of seniors acknowledged engaging in past-year cannabis consumption in 2018, up from 2.4 percent in 2015 and 0.4 percent in 2006.
The study's findings are consistent with those of prior papers similarly reporting an uptick in marijuana use among older Americans. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, marijuana use among seniors is associated with self-reported improvements in pain management, day-to-day functioning, and in their overall health and quality of life'
'The stereotypical image of a cannabis smoker is someone who sprawls on the sofa for hours surrounded by a haze of smoke and half-eaten snacks. The scene is played up for laughs in films, but social psychologist Angela Bryan thought it could be cause for concern. After all, cannabis is known to increase appetite and aid relaxation, which might put people at risk of health conditions such as obesity, says Bryan, who is at the University of Colorado Boulder.
But digging into health trends revealed the opposite. Nationwide US studies report that, compared to non-users, cannabis users actually have a lower prevalence of obesity.'
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02529-0
'Marijuana activist and poet John Sinclair, although older now at 78, is no less the rebel he was in 1969.
“I knew they were going to be after me, but you can’t let them determine your life,” he said of his 1971 release from prison for possession of two joints.
About 9:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor with a happy line of hundreds wrapped around the block, Sinclair made what was likely the first-ever licensed recreational retail marijuana sale in Michigan.'
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/12/activist-and-poet-john-sinclair-among-first-to-purchase-legal-recreational-marijuana-in-michigan-50-years-after-his-historic-arrest.html
'The report's author concluded: "[T]his case demonstrates how the patient was able to significantly benefit from the introduction of medical cannabis into her mental health intervention for the treatment of vertigo and a generalized anxiety disorder. In this case, the benefits for the 88-year-old patient using medical cannabis as a treatment in the both the short term and longer-term far outweighed the potential risks that may require consideration for children or adolescents."'
https://norml.org/news/2020/04/23/case-report-88-year-old-patient-reports-cannabis-improves-symptoms-of-anxiety-vertigo
'The purpose of this Notice is to inform potential applications to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute on Aging (NIA) of special interest in grant applications to conduct rigorous research on cannabis and potentially addictive, psychoactive prescription drug use (specifically opioids and benzodiazepine) in older adults. This program will focus on two distinct older adult populations (over the age of 50): (1) individuals with earlier use onset of cannabis and the specified drug classes who are now entering older age, or (2) individuals who initiate use of cannabis and the specified drug classes after the age of 50. Insights gained from this initiative have the potential to inform the public and health care systems regarding use of cannabis and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines in older populations.'
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-DA-20-014.html
'In 2019, young people aged 15–24 were more likely than those in older age groups to obtain cannabis from illegal sources, whereas a larger share of older cannabis users relied solely on legal sources; 41 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 or older reported using only legal sources to obtain cannabis, compared with roughly one quarter of the other age groups.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'Along with the increase in prevalence, the frequency of cannabis use also increased marginally. At the beginning of 2018, some 5 per cent of the population aged 15 and older were daily users of cannabis products; by the third quarter of 2019, this proportion had increased to 6 per cent. Increases in the proportion of daily users of cannabis were observed mainly among males, young people aged 18–24 and those aged 65 and older. Daily or near-daily use of cannabis is more frequent in younger users than in older ones. Nearly 8 per cent of people aged 15–24 and 9 per cent of those aged 25–44 were daily or near-daily users of cannabis, compared with 4 per cent of people aged 45–64 and nearly 3 per cent of those aged 65 and older. Men were twice as likely as women to be daily or near-daily cannabis users. A commonly observed pattern of use is that regular and frequent users of cannabis, such as daily or near-daily users, represent a small proportion of all cannabis users, but they account for the bulk of cannabis products consumed. It is estimated that in 2018, for example, around half a million people in Canada consumed some 810 tons of cannabis, of which half (426 tons) were consumed by daily or near-daily users and another 355 tons by those who reportedly used cannabis at least once a week.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'There is a considerable level of overlap between the medical and non-medical use of cannabis products in Canada, although the proportion varies by age group. In the second and third quarters of 2019, 52 per cent of cannabis users aged 65 and older reported using cannabis for medical purposes (with or without proper documentation for such use). On the other hand, nearly 60 per cent of cannabis users aged 15–24 reported the use of cannabis products for non-medical purposes, and one third of respondents in that age group reported using those products for both medical and non-medical reasons.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'At the baseline, in the first quarter of 2018, nearly 14 per cent of Canadians (12.2 per cent of women and 15.8 per cent of men) reported that they had used cannabis, including cannabis products for medical purposes, in the past three months. The highest prevalence rates were reported among those aged 25–34 (26 per cent) and 15–24 (23 per cent). By the beginning of 2019, the prevalence of use in the past three months had increased to 17.5 per cent, and it remained close to that level until the third quarter of 2019 (17.1 per cent). While the prevalence of cannabis use in the past three months rose in most age groups in 2019, the most marked increase was observed in the oldest age group (65 and older), for which the prevalence nearly doubled in comparison with 2018. There also seems to be a larger proportion of new users among older adults than in other age groups: while 10 per cent of new cannabis users were aged 25–44 in the second and third quarters of 2019, more than one quarter were aged 65 and older.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'Conclusions: Anxiety was a common reason for using cannabis among older adults. Overall, use of cannabis for anxiety is perceived to be helpful in alleviating symptoms. More research on cannabis in older adults is warranted including prevalence of use, efficacy in treating anxiety, and potential changes in concurrently prescribed anxiolytic medications as a result of cannabis use.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1064748120301238
'The reported number of overdose deaths is continually increasing among older age groups. While users aged over 40 years represented around one third of the deaths 10 years ago, they represented around half in 2017. Older people (over 50 years) represent a small proportion of all drug-induced deaths, but the number doubled between 2007 and 2017.
This reflects the ageing nature of Europe’s opioid-using population in most countries. It is important because older high-risk drug users may be at the greatest risk of drug overdose death.'
http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/topic-overviews/content/faq-drug-overdose-deaths-in-europe_en#question8
'In 1937, weed was placed under the Harrison Narcotics Act. Narcotics
authorities claim it is a habit-forming drug, that its use is injurious
to mind and body, and that it causes the people who use it to commit
crimes. Here are the facts: Weed is positively not habit forming. You
can smoke weed for years and you will experience no discomfort if your
supply is cut off. I have seen tea heads in jail and none of them showed
withdrawal symptoms. I have smoked weed myself off and on for fifteen
years, and never missed it when I ran out. There is less habit to weed
than there is to tobacco. Weed does not harm the general health. In
fact. most users claim it gives you an appetite and acts as a tonic to
the system. I do not know of any other agent that gives as definite a
boot to the appetite. I can smoke a stick of tea and enjoy a glass of
California sherry and a hash house meal.' - Junky, William S Burroughs,
1977, originally published in 1953
'Although overdose receives less attention as a benzodiazepine-related adverse event, benzodiazepines are the second-most common medication class involved in pharmaceutical overdose deaths, and overdose deaths that involve benzodiazepines increased more than 6-fold from 1996 through 2014. More than 75% of benzodiazepine-related deaths involve opioids, and evidence continues to accumulate that use of benzodiazepines is associated with increased risk of opioid-related overdose and mortality. Given that older adults experienced the largest absolute increases in opioid-related mortality between 2001 and 2016 and also experience the highest rates of coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine prescribing may be associated with increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality among older adults.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7125434/
'The report's author concluded: "[T]his case demonstrates how the patient was able to significantly benefit from the introduction of medical cannabis into her mental health intervention for the treatment of vertigo and a generalized anxiety disorder. In this case, the benefits for the 88-year-old patient using medical cannabis as a treatment in the both the short term and longer-term far outweighed the potential risks that may require consideration for children or adolescents."'
https://norml.org/news/2020/04/23/case-report-88-year-old-patient-reports-cannabis-improves-symptoms-of-anxiety-vertigo
'When tolerance prevalence was stratified by age, patients 75 years and older were the least likely to show evidence of opioid tolerance when initiating OTOs [opioid-tolerant only medications], with only of 6240 of 29362 episodes (21.3%) among patients 75 years and older occurring with evidence of prior tolerance; this was particularly evident with transdermal fentanyl, for which only 3601 of 26113 episodes (13.8%) among patients 75 years and older occurred with evidence of opioid tolerance, compared with 4309 of 9760 use episodes (44.1%) among patients aged 35 to 44 years occurring among patients with evidence of opioid tolerance
Because the evidence of prior tolerance for newly prescribed transdermal fentanyl was particularly low, we calculated tolerance prevalence stratified by initial dosage strength and insurance group. At each dosage strength, patients with commercial insurance were more likely to show prior tolerance than patients with Medicare Advantage, and prior tolerance rates increased with higher dosage strengths. Even at the highest dosage strength examined (100 µg/h), only half of patients with commercial insurance (889 of 1715 patients [51.8%]) and less than half of patients with Medicare Advantage (448 of 1005 patients [44.6%]) had evidence of prior tolerance.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7160686/
'High drug consumption and polypharmacy, especially in the elderly, is one of the 21st century phenomenon. It has different undesirable side effects, which may directly affect the environment. It is known that pharmaceutical residues are excreted via patients’ urine or feces to wastewater, which is then discharged to the environment. Therefore high drug consumption is contributing to the continual rise in pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment, and address a rising cause for concern. Alternative treatments that can relieve or improve the patient’s clinical condition, thereby reducing the consumption of pharmaceuticals, hold great potential for reducing drug residues in the environment. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the reduction in pharmaceutical consumption in a nursing home for the elderly, as a result of treatment with medical cannabis. With time, medical cannabis treatment dramatically improved patients’ symptoms and their medical indexes. As a result, the local physicians stopped prescribing drugs that were defined as unnecessary. Overall, 39 dosages of prescription drugs were canceled for the 19 elderly individuals included in this research, indicating that medical cannabis can be an effective treatment that also reduces the environmental drug load, thereby preventing water pollution'
https://www.syncsci.com/journal/index.php/AHB/article/view/386
'CBD consumers partake for a variety of reasons. Older consumers reported being more likely to seek pain management. Similarly, medical consumers were the most likely group to consume CBD on a daily basis, while those looking to unwind or use CBD for general wellness were less consistent in their use'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/appealing-to-cbd-consumers-interests-in-the-cannabinoid/
'Authors further reported that cannabis therapy was associated with a reduction in subjects' use of prescription medications – a finding that is consistent with prior studies. Overall, participants discontinued taking a total of 39 prescription medicines during the study period. Patients were most likely to eliminate their use of opioids, anxiolytics, and anti-depressants after initiating cannabis therapy.
They concluded, "We found an overall improvement in the patients, including of their symptoms and medical conditions, cessation or reduction of traditional drug usage, and a general improvement in life quality. ... Overall, 39 dosages of prescription drugs were cancelled for the 19 elderly individuals included in this research, indicating that medical cannabis can be an effective treatment that also reduces environmental drug load."'
https://norml.org/news/2020/06/11/study-medical-cannabis-therapy-reduces-prescription-drug-use-among-nursing-home-patients
'Authors reported: “Results of this analysis indicated that compared to older adult non-users, older adult cannabis users had lower BMI at the beginning of an exercise intervention study, engaged in more weekly exercise days during the intervention, and were engaging in more exercise-related activities at the conclusion of the intervention. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that it may be easier for older adults who endorse using cannabis to increase and maintain their exercise behavior, potentially because cannabis users have lower body weight than their non-using peers. At minimum, the evidence suggests that cannabis use does not hinder older adults’ ability to engage in physical activity, to participate in a supervised exercise program, or to increase their fitness as a result of physical activity.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/07/09/study-history-of-cannabis-use-associated-with-lower-bmi-greater-exercise-frequency-in-those-age-60-and-older
'Results of the experiment indicated that the two cannabinoid-infused mouthwashes significantly inhibited the growth of bacteria—on par with the chlorhexidine. The two over-the-counter mouthwashes, meanwhile, had little to no detectable effect.
“Cannabinoids (CBD / CBG) infused mouthwashes together with other natural key ingredients shows promising bactericidal activity in vitro against total-culturable aerobic bacterial content in dental plaque,” the study says, “with efficiency equivalent to or better than that of the gold standard (0.2% chlorhexidine).”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cbd-infused-mouthwash-works-better-than-regular-products-industry-study-shows/
'“Compared to older adult nonusers,” says the study, out of the University of Colorado at Boulder, “older adult cannabis users had lower [body mass index] at the beginning of an exercise intervention study, engaged in more weekly exercise days during the intervention, and were engaging in more exercise-related activities at the conclusion of the intervention.”
In other words, not only were adults over 60 who used marijuana generally in better shape than their peers who abstained from cannabis, they were also more responsive to an assigned four-month “exercise intervention trial”—essentially a regimen of physical activity prescribed by a clinician.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lazy-stoner-stereotype-smashed-by-study-finding-marijuana-consumers-exercise-more/
'Tikun Olam, Israel’s veteran medical cannabis company, maintains a robust medical research program which draws from its detailed database of tens of thousands of patients, and extensive clinical research collaborations with academic and medical partners. I recently spoke with Lihi Bar-Lev Schleider, director of Tikun Olam’s research department, about studies the company has been involved in with a focus on older adults.
In our conversation, Schleider described the results of a prospective study on the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis in the elderly, conducted in collaboration with Soroka Medical Center, and recently published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine. The study evaluated the response to medical cannabis of patients over 65 with conditions including cancer and its associated pain and treatment side-effects, neuropathic pain and Parkinson’s disease, among others.'
https://www.forbes.com/sites/abbierosner/2019/03/04/new-medical-cannabis-research-from-israel-older-adults-dementia-and-dialysis/
'“Although some respondents had a prescription for marijuana, most purchased it without a prescription for a variety of medical conditions common to primary care (pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia), the study authors wrote.
“Thus, in states with recreationally available marijuana, older adults may be using marijuana in addition to their prescribed regimens, so it is important to inquire about marijuana use regardless of age.”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/study-reveals-how-older-people-use-and-obtain-marijuana-in-colorado/
'“We haven’t seen a big spike in consumption,” Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper told Rolling Stone in April. “The only increase in consumption is among senior citizens, which we think is either Baby Boomers coming home to roost or arthritis and the aches and pains of growing older—people finding that marijuana is better pain solution than opioids or other things.”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-consumption-booming-among-baby-boomers-study-finds/
'For “Mrs. Saltzman Goes to Jail: The True Story of a Michigan Outlaw,” Emmy-nominated filmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen pays a visit to Saltzman at her home in Lake George, a small resort town, and takes viewers through the senior citizen’s brief ordeal with local police in June.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/watch-80-year-old-michigan-marijuana-patient-recounts-possession-arrest-in-new-documentary/
'There’s a good chance of at least some marijuana or cannabis product use among any senior housing resident population, according to Dr. Cari Levy, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and president of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Board of Directors.
“It has become much less stigmatized. Seniors talk to their peers, and they say, I got relief when I used this on my shoulder or my knee,” Levy said during a Senior Housing News webinar on the topic. “I would say probably 2 in 10 have used some formulation [of marijuana or cannabis products].”'
https://seniorhousingnews.com/2018/12/03/senior-living-providers-develop-smarter-pot-policies-legalization-continues/
'The reported number of overdose deaths is continually increasing among older age groups. While users aged over 40 years represented around one third of the deaths 10 years ago, they represented around half in 2017. Older people (over 50 years) represent a small proportion of all drug-induced deaths, but the number doubled between 2007 and 2017.
This reflects the ageing nature of Europe’s opioid-using population in most countries. It is important because older high-risk drug users may be at the greatest risk of drug overdose death.'
http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/topic-overviews/content/faq-drug-overdose-deaths-in-europe_en#question8
'There are differences in the age distribution of the drug-induced cases (see bar chart). Drug-related deaths in most countries in the west of Europe are among older people than in eastern countries (see map). This mirrors, in part, the ageing populations of opioid users in western countries.'
http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/topic-overviews/content/faq-drug-overdose-deaths-in-europe_en#question9
'“People in their 80s and 90s, even retired Air Force colonels, are finding such relief” with cannabis, said Ms. Horne. “Almost everybody I know is using it in one form or another” — including her husband Hal, 68, a retired insurance broker, who says it helps him sleep.
In fact, so many Laguna Woods seniors use medical cannabis — for ailments ranging from arthritis and diabetes nerve pain to back injuries and insomnia — that the local dispensary, Bud and Bloom, charters a free bus to bring residents to its Santa Ana location to stock up on supplies. Along with a catered lunch, the bus riders get a seniors discount.'
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/health/seniors-marijuana-cannabis-pain.html
'Women and “baby boomers” are the fastest-growing consumer segments among marijuana users, according to Eaze.
Not only that, boomers are spending the most money per order on cannabis than any other generation, according to the report, which was released on Wednesday. (Must be nice to enjoy relative job and housing security and lack crushing student debt!)'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/women-and-baby-boomers-are-increasingly-embracing-marijuana-new-market-report-finds/
https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-regulation-impact-on-health-safety-economy
'Three principle findings emerge from our analysis. First, active state medical marijuana laws lead to lower pain and better self-assessed health among older adults. Second, state medical marijuana laws lead to increases in older adult labor supply, with effects concentrated on the intensive margin. Third, the effects of MMLs are largest among older adults with a health condition that would qualify for legal medical marijuana use under current state laws. Findings highlight the role of health policy in supporting work among older adults and the importance of including older adults in assessments of state medical marijuana laws.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pam.22122
'The authors found a 71% increase in marijuana use among adults aged 50 and older between 2006 and 2013. Adults ages 65 and older had a significantly lower prevalence of marijuana use compared to those ages 50-64, but prevalence of use increased two and a half times over eight years. Overall, prevalence was higher among men than women through all years.
"We found only five percent of these older adults felt using marijuana once or twice a week was a great risk to their health" said Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, a CDUHR affiliated researcher and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYULMC.'
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161205091216.htm
'The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes in several U.S. states is intended to improve health, particularly among elderly adults. Nicholas and Maclean investigated whether the introduction of such medical marijuana laws also has effects on labor supply among elderly adults. Using health and labor survey data, they found that older adults report reduced pain and increased overall health and that they are more likely to engage in full-time employment after the introduction of medical marijuana into a state. These effects are concentrated among those whose medical status qualifies them for a prescription of medical marijuana. These results suggest that providing older adults with access to medical marijuana may have beneficial effects on the older adult labor supply.'
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6430/942.1
'Although overdose receives less attention as a benzodiazepine-related adverse event, benzodiazepines are the second-most common medication class involved in pharmaceutical overdose deaths, and overdose deaths that involve benzodiazepines increased more than 6-fold from 1996 through 2014. More than 75% of benzodiazepine-related deaths involve opioids, and evidence continues to accumulate that use of benzodiazepines is associated with increased risk of opioid-related overdose and mortality. Given that older adults experienced the largest absolute increases in opioid-related mortality between 2001 and 20169 and also experience the highest rates of coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine prescribing may be associated with increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality among older adults.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7125434/
'Although benzodiazepines are much safer in overdose than their predecessors, the barbiturates, they can still cause problems in overdose. Taken alone, they rarely cause severe complications in overdose; statistics in England showed that benzodiazepines were responsible for 3.8% of all deaths by poisoning from a single drug. However, combining these drugs with alcohol, opiates or tricyclic antidepressants markedly raises the toxicity. The elderly are more sensitive to the side effects of benzodiazepines, and poisoning may even occur from their long-term use. The various benzodiazepines differ in their toxicity; temazepam appears most toxic in overdose and when used with other drugs.The symptoms of a benzodiazepine overdose may include; drowsiness, slurred speech, nystagmus, hypotension, ataxia, coma, respiratory depression, and cardiorespiratory arrest.
In the United States, benzodiazepines are Schedule IV drugs under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, even when not on the market (for example, nitrazepam and bromazepam).
The elderly are at an increased risk of both short- and long-term adverse effects, and as a result, all benzodiazepines are listed in the Beers List of inappropriate medications for older adults.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine
Senior citizens are the fastest growing marijuana consuming demographic in the US.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fXqzEtQz4E
'Older adults want more information about cannabis and desire to communicate with their healthcare providers. Older adults who used cannabis for medical purposes reported positive outcomes but highlighted difficulties in accessing medical cannabis. Older adults in Colorado also revealed how a stigma continues to be attached to using cannabis.'
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40266-019-00665-w
'Talk to your grandparents about marijuana — before somebody else does.
The latest release of a massive federal drug use survey shows monthly marijuana use has skyrocketed among older Americans. The past decade, in fact, has seen a sea change in the demographics of marijuana use: As recently as the early 2000s, teens were more than four times more likely to use marijuana than 50- and 60-somethings. But as of 2017, Americans ages 55 to 64 are now slightly more likely to smoke pot on a monthly basis than teens ages 12 to 17. That difference is within the survey’s margin of error.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/20/marijuana-use-is-now-common-among-baby-boomers-it-is-among-teens-federal-data-show/
'Studies suggest marijuana use is rising fastest among older Americans—a group that's also most likely to have the type of pain conditions that respond best to marijuana, the researchers said. Opioid prescriptions fell by 2.21 million daily doses per year, on average, in states that legalized medical marijuana — an 8.5-percent decrease — compared with opioid prescriptions in states that didn't legalize the drug'
https://www.livescience.com/62193-legalizing-marijuana-surprising-benefit.html
Getting older and wiser...
'The greatest increase in marijuana use was observed among those in the older adult population 50 years or older, and those 65 years or older had the greatest increase in marijuana use in the older adult population. '
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2333721418781668
'In addition to alcohol, some older adults have also been found to be drug abusers (Li and Jackson, 2016). These drugs include prescription drugs and illicit drugs. Older people are reported to have the highest prescription-drug abuse rate of any other age group (Briggs et al., 2011). Among the prescription drugs, benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed to individuals aged 65 years and older. In Australia’s aged care services, around 4.4 percent of residents report misusing opioids or benzodiazepines (Li and Jackson, 2016).'
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2055102917708136
'Long-term use of BZRAs [Benzodiazepine receptor agonist] (> four weeks) in older adults should be avoided for most indications because of their minimal efficacy and risk of harm. Older adults have increased sensitivity to BZRAs and decreased ability to metabolize some longer-acting agents, such as diazepam. All BZRAs increase the risk of cognitive impairment, delirium, falls, fractures, hospitalizations, and motor vehicle crashes. Alternative management strategies for insomnia, anxiety disorders, and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (also known as responsive behaviours) are recommended. BRZAs have minimal efficacy for anxiety, insomnia, or responsive behaviours related to dementia. This is coupled with concerns about their associated adverse effects. These drugs commonly appear on lists of medications to avoid in the care of older patients'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7067147/
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