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As more states legalize marijuana, seniors are increasingly turning to cannabis to relieve many health and mental health symptoms. Greater access to marijuana has resulted in record numbers of children emergency room visits due to accidental consumption. Now, a new study has found that the elderly also face the same consequences.
In California, cannabis-related emergency department visits for those 65 and over increased somewhat by 1,804% between 2005 and 2019.
the studypublished in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society earlier this month, used data from the Department of Healthcare Access and Information. Over a nearly 15-year period, cannabis-related emergency room visits increased from 366 visits in 2005 to more than 12,000 visits in 2019. These visits were categorized into abuse of cannabis and unspecified use, cannabis dependence, and cannabis poisoning.
Older men had a higher rate of emergency department visits in 2019 compared to women, although women faced a greater overall increase in visit rates over 15 years, according to the study.
Older black adults face the highest increase in cannabis-related emergency department visits compared to other races or ethnicities. The authors note that there is limited research on older Black adults and the particular risk factors associated with an increase in cannabis-related emergencies and point to the need for studies to focus on future
Why is there an increase in cannabis-related hospital visits for the elderly?
The increase in emergency department visits resulted from a greater increase in marijuana use following state legalization (California legalized recreational marijuana use in 2016) and a decrease in stigma associated with drugs. A 2022 study from Pew Research Center found that nearly 90% of Americans believe that marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational purposes or for medical purposes only. Emergency department visits rose the most between 2013 and 2017, so the legalization of recreational marijuana doesn’t seem to have affected the number of hospital visits in the state.
Elderly people can use cannabis for medical purposes and for general relaxation symptom including pain, trouble sleeping, muscle stiffness, restlessness, and anxiety and depression. A 2020 study found 61% of seniors who use cannabis started in the elderly, and this group is more likely to do so for medical reasons.
“I hope that the use of cannabis has increased to control pain because it is another option that can work to relieve pain and now that it is legal for medical and recreational purposes in many states, seniors feel that this is another option to try,” said. Alison Moore, study author and chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care in the Department of Medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Although the evidence for cannabis’ ability to reduce pain is limited, there is some data that it may work so older adults are trying it.”
A study from 2015 found “moderate quality evidence“that cannabis can reduce chronic pain symptoms and muscle stiffness, while another from 2017 concluded that there “limited evidence” that cannabis can relieve neuropathic pain. Cannabis use is also associated with complications that can cause problems with memory, reaction time, and stability, which can increase a person’s risk of falling. Older people are more likely to have the other medicinesand drug interactions can also cause an issue.
Educating the elderly on the use of cannabis
More education on the dangers of using cannabis in the elderly who may face more serious health complications from the substance is needed, the study’s authors say.
“I see a lot of older people who are overconfident, saying they know how to handle it—but as they get older, their bodies are more sensitive, and the concentrations are very different from what they’re used to.” when they were growing up. young,” said Dr. Benjamin Han, study author and a geriatrician in the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care in the Department of Medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, in a press release.
The study’s authors say health care officials need to inform older adults of some of the potential harmful consequences of cannabis use and normalize conversations more widely. used medicine.
“We know from work on alcohol that older people are more likely to make a change in substance use if they perceive it to be linked to an unwanted medical symptom or outcome – hence the link to use cannabis in the same way can help change behavior,” Moore said. the press release.
Many substance use questions combine marijuana use with other illegal drugs, Moore said in the release, which could make seniors more cautious upfront about their marijuana use. Separating cannabis use into its own category and exploring how it can benefit an older person, while also assessing risk, is the important next step.
“Providers can then ask how often cannabis is used, for what purpose—such as medically for pain, sleep, or anxiety or recreationally to relax—in what form (smoked, eaten, applied topically) and if they know how much THC and CBD it contains. If the provider has this type of information, they can educate the patient about the potential risks of use,” Moore said in the release. in the news.
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