"Between 2021 and 2023, cannabis use among Americans 65 and older went up 46%, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Crawley said those numbers reflect that marijuana is a "good solution to a lot of medicinal issues." And with cannabis now legal in 40 states for medical use and 24 for recreational, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the stigma is quickly diminishing."
"Steven Clarke, another attendee at Crawley's party, said he's never smoked and prefers edibles. When asked why he's drawn to the drug, Clarke told CBS News that "it does work on PTSD, pain issues, relaxation issues, brain disorders, heart disease." But some medical professionals disagree. Matt Springer, a professor at UC San Francisco, warns that THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, may carry health risks, no matter how seniors ingest it."
""If they are smoking marijuana, we can be pretty confident that they're harming their cardiovascular system," Springer told CBS News, adding that if they're eating THC, "they're not without risk." Other researchers found cannabis use is linked to a doubled risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 29% higher risk for acute coronary syndrome and 20% higher risk for stroke, according to a study published in June."
Cannabis use among Americans aged 65 and older increased 46% between 2021 and 2023. Cannabis is legal for medical use in 40 states and for recreational use in 24 states, reducing stigma. Many seniors report using cannabis for pain, PTSD, relaxation, and other medical issues and prefer edibles. Medical experts warn that THC can harm cardiovascular health whether smoked or eaten. A pooled analysis found cannabis use linked to doubled cardiovascular mortality risk, 29% higher acute coronary syndrome risk and 20% higher stroke risk based on 24 studies from 2016–2023. Some seniors use cannabis to manage chronic pain.
Read at Cbsnews
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]