The recent survey shows that marijuana use in the past year increased five-fold from 1.4% in 2012 to 7% among adults over the age of 65 in 2021.
The current legal landscape has helped destigmatize the substance from a"drug" to an"alternative medical therapy." "People over 65 were young adults when cannabis use was at an all-time high and perception of risk was low," Smita Das, M.D., PhD, chair of the council on addiction psychiatry at American Psychiatric Association, told Fox News Digital.
The current legal landscape has helped destigmatize the substance from a"drug" to an"alternative medical therapy" that can help with chronic medical issues when traditional medicine fails. "In spite of the many stigmas associated with the use of cannabis, the idea of users being ‘stoners’ or excessive users is completely overblown in older consumers," Smith said.Currently, 38 states, three territories and the District of Columbia allow the