Cannabis And Seniors: New Study Finds 'Sizable Reduction In Pain Severity,' Improved General Health, Mood, Sleep

A recent study on medical marijuana’s impact on older adults confirms similar research that marijuana has significant therapeutic benefits, including improvements in health, well-being, sleep and mood.

The research, published in the journal Drugs and Aging on June 17, reports “sizable reductions in pain severity and pain interference among older aged patients reporting chronic pain as their primary condition.”

Though older adults are among the fastest-growing demographic of cannabis users in the U.S. and around the world, authors of this latest study noted that the exclusion of seniors from clinical trials indicates a growing need for real-world evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of these drugs for older individuals,” the paper states, reported Drug Science.

The five-person research team from Drug Science and Imperial College London’s Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology analyzed data from a large observational study of individuals seeking prescribed cannabis in the UK. The study was launched in 2020. Despite the legality of cannabis-based medicinal products in the UK since 2018, access through the National Health Service remains limited, with most prescriptions occurring in the private sector.

“We aimed to document the characteristics, outcomes and prescribing patterns of individuals aged 65-plus years receiving prescribed cannabis compared to younger individuals receiving prescribed cannabis,” said the authors.

Patient outcomes, measured through self-reported quality of life, general health, mood, and sleep, showed significant enhancements in each area beginning with the start of treatment and three-month follow-ups.

While older patients reported substantial improvements, the extent was somewhat less compared to younger individuals. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that older adults can derive multiple health benefits from medical marijuana, including reduced depressed mood and sleep difficulties. The improvements in general health, quality of life and sleep were comparable between older and younger patients.

The study, which sought to fill the knowledge gap in marijuana research for older individuals, also found the differences between younger and older people included a higher proportion of older patients being female, reporting chronic pain as a primary condition, and taking multiple prescribed drugs. Older patients were less likely to have previously used marijuana and more likely to receive CBD-dominant oil rather than THC-dominant flower as compared to younger people.

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