Seniors and Cannabis
It’s 2019, and the days of treating cannabis as a drug to be feared and shunned are long behind us. In fact, what used to be characterized as a drug for hippy teens and criminals exclusively, is now appealing to consumers of all shapes, sizes and needs — thanks mostly to its growing legalization across North America and the wide breadth of information available on the Internet.
Instead of “just saying no”, people are becoming more and more educated on the undeniable benefits offered by Cannabis, and today’s seniors are discovering that cannabis can help them live healthier, more fulfilling and pain-free lives.
The reality for seniors (or for all of us as we grow older) is that time has a way of decreasing our ability to remain physically, mentally and emotionally healthy — not exactly the “golden years” we were promised in retirement. And while over-the-counter drugs have attempted to address these issues for decades, the cost, ingredients and side-effects are a cause for growing concern.
Thankfully, cannabis offers an alternative way to address these physical, mental and emotional challenges in a way that decreases the frequency and dependency. And the need for North America to help their seniors reduce their prescription drug use has never been greater!
Seniors are a demographic that typically takes multiple medications, while also being in a demographic more likely to forget to take their pills, experience worsening conditions and develop an increased tolerance over time.
Add to this the fact that drug abuse among seniors over 65 is an increasing epidemic with more than 50% of all opioid prescriptions belonging to seniors, despite representing just over 10% of the population. This is a significant increase since 2010 and has been directly connected to an overall increase in drug-related trips to the emergency room.
Alternatively (false alarms aside) there are literally no cannabis-attributed trips to the ER reported anywhere, ever. Using cannabis to support or completely replace prescription medication plans, eliminates a lot of the dangers associated with opium-heavy, prescription drug cocktails.
Furthermore, many choose it as an ideal drug to fight anxiety, pain, depression and appetite challenges, at a fraction of the price of most prescription drugs, and as legalization continues to unfold, the selection of non-smokable edibles, drops and concentrates caters to all kinds of consumption preferences.
The result is a snowball effect where better moods, less pain and more mobility gets seniors embracing a more fulfilling life. It’s no wonder it’s gaining such popularity among those with the most to lose, and gain.
Want to explore some of the other ways that cannabis is used to improve lives, check out one of these blogs:
POT AND PARENTING: DOES REEFER AND RESPONSIBILITY MIX?
CANNABIS CONCENTRATES VERSUS CANNABIS DRY FLOWER: WHAT SUITS YOUR LIFESTYLE?