Medical marijuana and older adults: why the numbers are growing

Photo by Matt Dayak

Photo by Matt Dayak

By Terri Kroh and Rebekkah Ranallo

One of our founders, Joe Vesely, often says: “Cannabis is like sports - it brings people from all walks of life together.” Put simply, there is no “typical” cannabis consumer.

When we dig into our patient data, though, there are some fascinating trends. Over a third of Maitri’s patients are over the age of 50. Our oldest patient is over 100 years old!

Let’s face it, as our bodies age, they hurt. Systems break down. Conventional prescription drugs are effective for some, but they bring unwanted side effects for many, often leading to a domino effect of more drugs. 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 80 percent of older patients (ages 57 to 85) use at least one prescription medication on a daily basis. More than 50 percent of them are taking more than five medications or supplements daily. But more seniors are exploring medical marijuana to treat common conditions such as pain, depression, and insomnia.

In fact, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine earlier this year, cannabis consumption by older adults increased steadily between 2015 and 2018. “Trends in Cannabis Use Among Older Adults in the US revealed that the number of adults 65 years and older who reported marijuana use increased from 2.4% in 2015 to 4.2% in 2018. 

That’s a 75% increase. 

Why are more seniors exploring medical marijuana?

Cannabis offers safe pain relief without the dangerous risks associated with opioid use. The opioid epidemic has infiltrated communities across all ages, races and socioeconomic groups, and seniors are no exception. In fact, opioid dependency in the senior community has become a serious issue. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, first-time treatment admissions for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in adults 55 and older have almost doubled since 2007. For people age 55 and older, the percentages of first-time admission to Opioid Use Disorder treatment were about 13 percent in 2007 and about 22 percent in 2015. For this age group, from 2007 to 2013, first-time admissions remained relatively stable, but from 2013 to 2015, there was a steep increase in admissions of about 25 percent per year.

The most common adverse effects of marijuana generally pale in comparison to those of conventional drugs. Dizziness, constipation, upset stomachs, sleep changes, blurred vision and mood changes are common side effects from conventional drugs. These effects can severely impact a senior’s life and often lead to other drugs being prescribed. The most common negative side effects of medical marijuana include dry mouth, red/dry eyes and drowsiness. The comparison speaks for itself.

Cannabis is versatile and can address many conditions simultaneously. Imagine taking the same drug every night to ease your arthritic pain, reduce your anxiety, and help you sleep. Many seniors are on a cocktail of medications that don’t interact well together and can cause more serious problems. Consuming medical marijuana on its own reduces those risks and offers polypharmacy in one compound. 

Dosing, drug interactions and the bottom line

For seniors especially, the right medical marijuana treatment plan must take all of life’s circumstances into account--interactions with other prescriptions, your budget, and including your caregiver in the process. 

Maitri’s pharmacy team brings decades of experience serving older adults. We understand that older adults are often managing a host of medication-related challenges. We value the role of the caregiver in your life. We communicate with spouses, children, and siblings of patients to ensure the whole family is on the same page about dosing and potential side effects. Lastly, we understand your bottom line. Most of our older patients are struggling on a fixed income--selecting the right medical marijuana product is critical, because trial and error is not an affordable option. 

We are advocates for healthy living and disease prevention at ALL ages and stages of life. Whether you are 22 or 102, we are here for you. To reach a member of our pharmacy team, email us at contact@maitrimeds.com or call us at 412.404.7464 in Pittsburgh and 725.550.4565 in Uniontown.

Resources 

  • The Administration on Community Living is the Federal agency responsible for increasing access to community supports for older Americans.

  • The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, leads research on the nature of aging and is the primary Federal agency conducting Alzheimer’s research.

  • AARP Health provides information on Medicare, brain health, health conditions and treatment and prescription drugs for adults age 50 and older.

  • The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry provides a search tool for finding a geriatric psychiatrist as well as resources for educators, clinicians and researchers specializing in geriatric psychiatry.

Sources

Hepler CD, Strand LM. Opportunities and responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1990;47:533-4 

Han, Benjamin & Palamar, Joseph. (2020). Trends in Cannabis Use Among Older Adults in the United States, 2015-2018. JAMA Internal Medicine. 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.7517. 

https://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/multidisciplinary-competencies.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7086060/pdf/discoveries-07-092.pdf

A case study for the use of medical cannabis in generalized anxiety disorder

Selected Educational Resources for Older Adults and Caregivers About Falls Prevention and Other Related Topics

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ascp.com/resource/resmgr/docs/toolkits/falls/consumer-resources.pdf

Mental Health

https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools

Older Americans Month May 2020

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/2020/older-americans.html

https://www.diverseelders.org/2020/03/30/covid-19-we-must-care-for-older-adults-mental-health/

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