It's Not the Kids Turning on to Weed; It's Grandma and Grandpa

[polly7]

Last edited Sat May 28, 2016, 12:31 PM - Edit history (2)

Baby boomers have discovered (or rediscovered) the bud.

By Phillip Smith / AlterNet May 24, 2016

The growing acceptance of and access to legal marijuana has some people worried that the youth are going to start using it more frequently, but that's not the demographic where pot has really taken off. Instead, it's senior citizens.

Whether it's wide-open medical marijuana states like California or fully legal states like Colorado, the gray-haired set is increasingly turning to pot, and not just to ease their aches and pains With a half-dozen more states likely to have legalization on the ballot (and win) this year and medical marijuana coming to more, grandma and grandpa are set to become even more interested.

Last week, CBS This Morning reported on the phenomenon of senior marijuana use, and the numbers are striking. Citing data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the program reported that the number of pot users over 55 jumped from 2.8 million in 2013 to 4.3 million in 2014, a 55% increase in a single year. Watch the video

" target="_blank">here.

Correspondent Barry Petersen took viewers inside Oakland's Harborside Health Center, the world's largest medical marijuana dispensary, where the senior demographic was well-represented. His footage shows people in their 50s and 60s describing how marijuana treats what ails them.

"Seniors account for only 14% of the population, but they use more than 30% of all prescription drugs, including some highly addictive pain killers," Petersen reported. "So pot is fast becoming a pill alternative."

One Harborside patient, an 80-year-old woman who uses marijuana to help with mobility got right to the point:

"Every medication has a risk," she said. "I've made my choice."

Full article: http://www.alternet.org/drugs/not-kids-turning-weed-grandma-grandpa?akid=14303.44541.6oPI9-&rd=1&src=newsletter1057317&t=12

Sorry, can't get video link to work, but it does in the article.

[Trust Buster]

1. Yeah baby !!!! Better than alcohol any day.

[ciaobaby]

2. Great for getting a good nights sleep!

[elleng]

3. RE-discovered!

[polly7]

4. I know, I laughed at that too:) nt.

[malaise]

37. +1,000

They only gave it a rest (or kept quiet about it) because it was illegal.

[PufPuf23]

5. BenGay or Kandy Kush... decisons decisions eom

[jtuck004]

16. Shortly, there will be a strain, Ben Gay, perhaps with cannabinoids that seem to affect muscles...

Just a little pollen... Someone will.

That motivated me to look at a portion of a local cannabis store menu. Given the report above, Ben Gay might do better than some on that list.

Some of those names might make these folks uncomfortable, and a competitor might take advantage of that as well.

4ever Green Kush -
509 Kush -
Alaskan Thunder Fuck -
Allen Wrench -
Black Diamond -
Cannalope Kush -
Champagne Kush -
Cheesy Dick -
Dark Star -

[PufPuf23]

21. Ben Gay or Train Wreck ???

I am 100% for legal pot and have been for decades.

Actually though seems like that should be labeling and testing and research for medical strains over and above recreational strains.

[litlbilly]

25. thats why so many people are moving to Oregon, it is the fastest growing popualtion in the US

I knew that's why I moved here in 89

[PufPuf23]

27. A Humboldt county CA native/resident but worked in Portland 1987-1993 in the

American Bank Building on Pioneer Square and lived and worked in Corvallis from 1994 to 1999.

I like Oregon and if some things had not gone hay wire outside my control would probably still be in Corvallis.

[B Calm]

6. That's the best thing about being retired, no more employer drug tests!

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. +1000000!

[Faux pas]

10. We didn't have drug tests unless you messed

up big time. I worked at a prison and used to get it from fellow employees (we weren't officers). They did bust quite a few officers for steroids though.

[B Calm]

11. I was subjected to CDL laws, they drug test us 5 to 10 times a year.

[Faux pas]

34. That makes sense

[catchnrelease]

8. I noticed this

In the last few months I made my first foray to a clinic to get paperwork and then to a dispensary to get some veterinary cbd oil for one of my dogs. I was completely expecting to see the 'stereotype'--creepy, grungy, scary drug addicts lurking around the places. (reefer madness!) But the majority of people I saw were middle aged white people! I think there was one younger couple and one woman maybe late 30s or so at the clinic, and only middle aged or older at the dispensary. It actually made me laugh to myself, and thought exactly what this article is saying....the oldies (me included) are the main customers now.

[Faux pas]

9. Loving it and

using it proudly since 1978. Yep, Granny smokes it and grandkids buy her beautiful pipes for xmas.

[d_legendary1]

12. Listen to your elders dammit!

Decriminalize it get us off the corporate pharmacists addiction network!

[Pluvious]

13. We can expect Big Pharma to amp up the anti-pot campaign

This trend will not please their stockholders.

I hear the voice of Jah telling us we need our own lobbyists !

[beltanefauve]

17. True

The number one reason people give for using medical cannabis is because they are either trying to cut down on pharmaceuticals or avoid them completely. These patients are trying to avoid addiction or side effects. And when a state enacts a medical cannabis system, they find their overdose rates plummet. This doesn't happen over time. It happens right away.

[Pakhet]

31. Absolutely true. Since getting my mmj card I have gone from

8-12 excedrine/4-6advil and whatever options I could scrounge a day to ... well, so far this year I've had to take 12 or so Excedrin and 4 or so Advil. Mmj handles the rest beautifully. I never tried it until 3 years ago when my sister forced me to because I was ready to just give up and end it. I'm 52

[beltanefauve]

32. I've been using cannabis

for a while. It's great for the bursitis in my shoulder and for back pain. I'm 56 and hubby is 60. We're still working, still in the game, and staying as active as we can, and that includes playing with our grandchildren. Getting our cannabis recommendations has been a boon to all that.

And if you're on opiates or pseudo opiates, cannabis binds to the receptor cells the same way, allowing you to either cut your dosage or go off the opiates completely. Our son is permanently disabled from a car accident. He's had an Oxy prescription for 9 years now and is not an addict. He only takes pills on his really really bad days. Most of the time, he manages his pain with cannabis.

Glad to hear you're still in the game too, Pakhet.

[Pakhet]

33. thanks :) I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until I was in a place

with little to no pain. It's a boon. I'm hoping it can be legal everywhere soon.

[jtuck004]

18. Not just them. A few thousand of god's truest soldiers, ready to kill everyone to save them.

In various and sundry ways. They hate just because it feels good.

[afertal]

14. What I want to know is..

..when will it be added to the formulary for Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans?

[Dont call me Shirley]

15. Boomers invented weed!

[malaise]

38. No they didn't:

People have been using weed for eons

[Dont call me Shirley]

42. I was just being silly. But Boomers did poularize it's use in the US big time....

Hippies and Weed....

[malaise]

43. Oh Yes

and then some

[ReRe]

19. Hey...

... since we dropped the ball back in the 70s-80s, maybe we can change the world now! (Via our grandkids.)

[Enthusiast]

30. I'm with you, ReRe!

[TeamPooka]

20. prohibition is a failed public policy, again.

[PatrickforO]

22. Why do you think they call them taste BUDS?

Seriously, the writing is on the wall. There are legitimate and beneficial medical effects to marijuana, particularly in chronic pain relief. For the government not to acknowledge that is wrong-headed because it allows people to suffer needlessly.

Of course, we here in the USA are CHAMPIONS at allowing needless suffering...always so greedy people can maximize profits.

[kpete]

23. Legalize It!

"Every medication has a risk," she said. "I've made my choice."

[JCMach1]

24. Big Pharma Opioids, or Big Eddie down the street

Easy choice really...

[RKP5637]

26. Far better than booze and the other crap people ingest. I'll take pot anytime. n/t

[postatomic]

28. I always chat with fellow old farts

If in waiting area or in line. We discuss the myths about marijuana, what strains we like, stuff like that. If I'm not stocking up on the low THC - pain strains, I usually get the most potent shit they sell. It cost more but I use much less.

To 'seniors' considering re-discovering Pot, you need to understand that the shit we smoked back in the day was basically ditch weed. THC content was usually 5% or less. The marijuana now can be 20% to 25% THC. And then there are Waxes (which I like). A piece of Wax 1/2 the size of a grain of rice is like smoking an entire joint. So, if you're starting to use again please keep this in mind. Take it easy when you start.

If you just want to get 'high' buy a good Hybrid, but if you're looking for some medical benefits you'll need to do some research. Learn the difference between a Sativa and an Indica. Learn what all the cannaboids do. Pot is not just Pot. There are a ton of differences in the various strains.

[nolabear]

40. Ain't that the truth.

I posted something similar further down. Learn your strains. They can work for you. And don't be afraid to be a one-hit smoker. That shit's STRONG!

I'm also happy there are strains with a short high. It's nice to be back to regular in an hour or two. I have never been a fan of anything that takes forever to wear off. And CBD is damned good stuff for the aches.

[postatomic]

41. I should have looked for post before doing mine

If I have someone over and they want to smoke a little flower I always ask "when was the last time you smoked Pot?" If it's from back in the day I tell them to just take one hit and wait. I almost never drive when I'm high and won't let a guest do it. If we're smoking some flower I tell them they are going to have to wait a couple of hours.

Driving 'high' is actually much safer than driving while 'drunk', but neither are good. When 'high' your reaction times will slow down a bit.

The short high is why I don't do edibles. Edibles take forever to break down and enter your bloodstream and then they take forever to wear off. Plus the 'high' is a dull-uncomfortable high. IMO.

[redstatebluegirl]

29. If you have chronic pain, which is more likely as you age, pot works great without

the side effects. It is ignorant that is is illegal in most states.

[TrappedInUtah]

35. Legalize nation wide

At this point, the only people still opposed are ignorant, profit from prohibition or simply hate the culture associated with cannabis use. It's basically just a better and safer alternative to alcohol and some pharma drugs.

[LadyHawkAZ]

36. Grandma right here

and yep.

I can't smoke the stuff because of the bizarre reactions I have to it. Edibles, I have found, don't give the same reaction.

I'm lovin' the candies.

[nolabear]

39. Our first trip to a pot store here in Seattle was very telling.

When they legalized it we went pretty soon and there were lines outside every store (now there are enough not to have that). They were very interesting. LOTS of older folks mixed in with the varied others, all ages (over 21. BOY do you get your ID checked even if you're a grey hair like me) and walks of life. It was funny how we oldsters had that slightly stunned, shy smile. You don't get over the idea that you're doing something shady all at once.

I'm not a big time smoker. I can run out and not get around to replenishing for weeks. But I like it and I have gotten to know some good things about the medical strains, some of which are sold retail but not for medical use per se. They tend to be low THC and high CBD, the pain and inflammation reduction element. I'm a fan. Very little mental effect but it helps with those things we older types are increasingly having to put up with. I'm really glad it's available. It should be everywhere.