One aspect of the impressive growth in cannabis use by seniors is that they tend to fall into two very distinct buckets with respect to their history and experience with THC. On the one hand, you have Older Stoners, who have been enjoying cannabis for many years or decades. The notion that these folks (and their bodies) are going to somehow forget their cumulative canna-knowledge or be starting from zero tolerance-wise is somewhat unlikely.
Alternatively, there is a whole new swath of the (adult) public who, for a variety of reasons, are either newbies to cannabis or folks who may have smoked a joint in college, but didn’t inhale. Those who have been on the outside (not indulging) for many years are typically in awe and overwhelmed by the product options that exist today and rely on / benefit from some guidance as they are introducing cannabis into their bodies.
It’s one thing to overindulge with edibles (or alcohol for that matter) in college. It’s quite another to experience that “misery” in your 60’s. Falls hurt more and bones tend to break more easily.
A new study conducted by NYU Langone Health and UC San Diego, and published in JAMA Internal Medicine, has found a sharp rise in cannabis use among Americans aged 65 and older. From 2021 to 2023, cannabis use in this age group jumped by nearly 46%, with 7% reporting use in the past month—up from 4.8% in 2021. The increase is especially notable among women, people with higher education and income, and those living in states where medical cannabis is legal.
The research also shows that many older adults who use cannabis have chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer.The article notes that cannabis may complicate the management of these illnesses and interact with medications, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart problems, cognitive decline, psychiatric symptoms, and surgical complications.
Thus, we’re back to the divide between those with prior knowledge and those who would benefit from guidance by an experienced Older Stoner.
https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2025/june/cannabis-use-older-adults.html
Lastly, here’s an article we wrote back in 2023 about another NYT article on the same subject.