4 Ways Cannabis Can Help Senior Citizens

Believe it or not, the seniors are taking up cannabis faster than any other demographic. According to a recent survey that looked at the cannabis habits of 47,000 people aged 50 and over, marijuana use in the age 65 and upwards bracket has risen by 250 percent.

It’s clear that marijuana’s medicinal properties hold great benefit to seniors and are often a more palatable option than prescription medication for treating chronic pain and other ailments. The stigma surrounding cannabis is slowly being ebbed away and is another reason for the uptick in cannabis use among the elderly.

A 2018 study found that almost 95 percent of seniors using marijuana for pain relief, and similar symptoms experienced an improvement in their condition after six months of use. Moreover, almost one in five of the participants managed to stop, or at least cut-down, their intake of prescription opioid painkillers.

All demographics are being affected by the opioid epidemic, with seniors hit more than most. Despite making up a mere 13 percent of the American population, more than half of the total opioid prescriptions in the United States in 2013 were given to senior citizens. Opioids pose even greater to seniors than the rest of the population. They can induce mental confusion, increase the risk of falling, and leave users dependent on them, according to a Globe and Mail report.

In this post, we’ll look at nine of the most popular reasons seniors are reducing their prescription drug intake in favor of medical marijuana.

1. Chronic pain

Chronic pain manifests in several ways, affecting seniors in the form of arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve pain, and more. However, patients are finally catching breakthrough marijuana. The herb helps to treat inflammation-caused arthritis pain, in addition to neuropathic pain. Cannabis achieves this through the effects that cannabinoids have on the endocannabinoid system. CBD, THC and other compounds block pro-inflammation molecules and interact with other analgesic systems to reduce pain naturally.

While some seniors love to still roll up and smoke a joint, this is not at all necessary. Cannabis oil tinctures, edibles, and CBD lip balm products all provide considerable pain relief. Topicals are particularly good, as the cannabinoids can treat localized pain via this method, something they cannot do through oral consumption or inhalation. Vaping continues to soar in popularity, with seniors able to pick CBD-isolate e-liquids to full-spectrum vape juices. None of these consumption methods take your fancy? Try CBD oil massage – you can buy these pre-made or purchase the water-soluble CBD oil and empty capsules separately and fill them according to your dosage requirements.

2. Appetite

Seniors are prone to experiencing a reduction in appetite, and failure to eat can result in rapid weight loss. Many patients dealing with chronic pain also suffer from a lack of appetite. Nearly 80 percent of anorexia deaths occur in seniors, according to 2001 research.

That’s why the appetite-boosting properties of marijuana, commonly referred to as ‘the munchies,’ are of such use to seniors. The increased sensitivity to scent and taste after taking cannabis makes food much more appealing, and the dopamine release from eating creates a pleasure reward mechanism.

3. Crohn’s Disease

An estimated 800,000 people in the United States are afflicted with an inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s Disease, which causes pain in the abdominal region, weight loss, and bloody diarrhea. There is no cure for Crohn’s, and treatment options for this debilitating disease are limited. The condition affects both young and old, and research indicates that both demographics could benefit from taking cannabis. Marijuana helps to manage Crohn’s symptoms, and reduce pain and inflammation caused by flare-ups.

Furthermore, early research suggests cannabis could help to reverse Crohn’s disease. This is feasible, since Crohn’s is an inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and cannabis is packed with anti-inflammatory compounds. Another plus is that unlike prescription medication given for Crohn’s, cannabis comes with no significant side effects and provides a complementary appetite boost.

4. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes an increase in pressure behind the eye due to an accumulation of nerve-damaging fluids. Glaucoma is the primary cause of blindness among the 60 and up to age bracket. Eye drops have traditionally been prescribed to release the pressure. However, these need to be applied at regular intervals and are sometimes very expensive.

But Pinnacle CBD is giving seniors a cheaper and maybe even more effective solution. Cannabis reduces eye pressure for several hours, much longer than eye drops, and relives the pain naturally. Famous actor Whoopi Goldberg has repeatedly voiced her support for marijuana as medication or glaucoma. Goldberg told of how cannabis helps her cope with glaucoma-induced headaches, in an article she penned for the Cannabist.

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