Medical marijuana has slowly become increasingly utilized by all segments of the population, including among the elderly. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of elderly people using medical cannabis and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the treatment.
From January 2015 to October 2017, 2,736 patients greater than 65 years of age began cannabis (marijuana) treatment in a specialized medical cannabis clinic and completed an initial questionnaire. The average age was 74.5 years, and the most common reasons given for using medical marijuana were pain (66%) and cancer (60%).
After 6 months of treatment 93% of the patients reported improvement in their condition, and the reported pain level was reduced from a median of 8 to a median of 4 on a 0-10 scale. The most common adverse events were dizziness and dry mouth, but only at 9.7% and 7.1% respectively. After six months, 18% were able to reduce or eliminate opoid use.
The authors of this study found that therapeutic marijuana use was both safe and effective in the elderly population and may even decrease the use of other medications.
