2021 to 2023 Saw Rise in Cannabis Use by Older Adults

THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) — From 2021 to 2023, the prevalence of current cannabis use increased among older U.S. adults, according to a research letter published online June 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Benjamin H. Han, M.D., from the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues estimated recent changes in current cannabis use among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older, as well as emerging sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in this population. The analysis included data from 15,689 older adults participating in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2021 to 2023).

The researchers found that prevalence of past-month cannabis use among older adults increased significantly from 4.8 percent in 2021 to 7.0 percent in 2023. Increased past-month cannabis use prevalence was associated with older adults identifying as other race (1.6 percent in 2021; 7.4 percent in 2023), as well as among women, White individuals, those with a college or postgraduate degree, individuals with an annual income of ≥$75,000, married people, and those living in a state with legalized medical cannabis. An increased prevalence in past-month cannabis use was also associated with several clinical conditions, notably chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (6.4 to 13.5 percent), as well as heart conditions, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and two or more chronic medical conditions.

“As a geriatrician, I see more and more people interested in using cannabis for treating chronic health symptoms. But cannabis can complicate the management of chronic diseases and be potentially harmful if patients are not educated on its use and potential risks,” Han said in a statement.

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