Yo, what’s good fam? We got some wild tea droppin’ straight from the AARP fam. Turns out, them old heads is puffin’ way more than ever before! Like, we talkin’ about a study that shows seniors in the U.S. are smokin’ that green way more than they was just three years ago. Can you believe it? Like, the numbers done nearly doubled, and that ain’t no cap! Most of them say they hittin’ the weed to ease that pain, catch some Z’s, and just feel good in general. Ya feel me?
So check this, more than 1 in 5 folks aged 50 and over done said they lit it up at least once in the past year. That’s right, fam! According to them smart folks over at the University of Michigan, they also found out that over 1 in 10 of them seniors be puffin’ on the regular, at least once a month. Researchers predict this trend ain’t stoppin’ anytime soon, especially with more states addin’ legal weed to the mix. Ain’t that a vibe?
Now, let’s break down why these OGs is gettin’ high. A solid 81 percent of them said they just tryna relax, while 68 percent said they use it to catch some sleep. Like, you know how hard it is for some of these folks to hit that snooze button? And another 64 percent just said they wanna feel good, plain and simple. Pain relief? Yeah, 63 percent of ‘em said that’s why they puffin’. Mental health? Well, 53 percent swore it helps them with that too. Man, this weed game is real!
AARP, who backed this whole study, noted that the 21 percent of older adults talkin’ ‘bout their weed use is a serious increase from just 12 percent back in 2021. That’s almost double, y’all! In the new survey, 12 percent sayin’ they use cannabis at least once a month, and 9 percent sayin’ they be sparkin’ up weekly. And get this: 5 percent is daily users! Can you imagine that?
When they looked at the younger seniors, ages 50 to 64, they noticed those folks was way more likely to be monthly users. And guess what? People who ain’t feelin’ too hot health-wise and those from low-income spots was also puffin’ more. You know what they say, “A little weed never hurt nobody!”
In Michigan, where they opened adult-use sales back in December 2019, those numbers jumped even higher! We talkin’ 27 percent claiming they puffed in the last year, 14 percent sayin’ they lit it up weekly, and 9 percent sayin’ they be blowin’ down daily or almost daily. That’s some serious grams bein’ rolled!
Now, the researchers behind this report say it’s crystal clear: we need more education about cannabis, especially for those who use it frequently. Erin E. Bonar, a researcher and addiction psychologist, said it best: “We see more folks using cannabis as it’s legal, but we don’t have enough info on how to do it safely.” She also pointed out that with 38 states legalizing some form of weed, it’s crucial to talk about the risks involved.
More than half of the regular users, you know, those who use at least monthly, said they discussed their cannabis habits with their doctors. That’s the way to do it! But check this: 21 percent of older adults might still be clueless about how stronger that weed is today compared to back in the day. And while 72 percent of these folks think cannabis can be addictive, over a quarter of them still skeptical. It’s a lot to unpack, ya dig?
Jeffrey Kullgren, an internal medicine professor over at the University of Michigan, says it’s super important for folks to talk to their healthcare providers about cannabis use. This helps catch any risky drug interactions and also flags any signs of problem use. He emphasized, “Even if your doc don’t ask, you gotta let ‘em know you using that green, whether it’s for health issues or just for kicks.”
Yo, the government is even lookin’ into more research on this topic. The NIH announced they droppin’ $8.4 million to support clinical trials focusing on how psychedelics might help with chronic pain in older folks. We talkin’ about those classic psychedelics like psilocybin and DMT, but cannabis is sittin’ this one out. But still, they found that cannabis use is at historic highs among adults, while teen use has stayed the same. Ain’t that crazy?
So, as this study rolls out, just know that our elders are catchin’ on to the benefits of cannabis like never before. They out here findin’ relief, catchin’ vibes, and gettin’ their groove back with that good green. It’s a whole new world for the seniors out there, and we just tryna keep it 100 about the facts!
Stay lifted, ya’ll!
