Increase of Older Americans Engaging in Marijuana Use

A new study on marijuana use finds more older Americans are rolling joints or firing up their bongs. According to UPI, the investigators found that between 2006 and 2013, for people over 50, the use of marijuana rose 71 percent during that time. Although seniors over 65 had much lower use rates than those aged 50 to 64, the study revealed their rate of use rose 2.5 times over eight years. Dr. Benjamin Han is a geriatrician and health services researcher at the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. He said in a news release, "Older people may use marijuana for a variety of reasons -- including medical reasons -- however we need to make sure they are not using it in a hazardous manner, since older adults may be vulnerable to its possible adverse effects." He added, "Given the unprecedented aging of the U.S. population, we are facing a never before seen cohort of older adults who use recreational drugs."