Cannabis is still illegal federally in the U.S. but that hasn't stopped a number of states from embracing either legalized cannabis for recreational or medicinal purposes. And according to data from the CDC, it looks like the fastest growing demographic of cannabis smokers could be those who are in their 50s and 60s.
Between 2002 and 2014, cannabis use among those who were 55-64 rose from 1.1 percent of the population, to roughly 6.1 percent and that accounts for an overall increase of about 455 percent.
Compare that to cannabis smokers who are 18-25, where their cannabis use saw only a 13 percent increase over the same time frame. And of those cannabis smokers who are over the age of 50, more than half of them reported having used cannabis before the age of 30.
Scientists are now trying to understand why the plant might be more popular with those in their latter years of life, and they've called for more studies to be conducted on cannabis use among seniors.
Is it because more people over 50 years of age are seeking help from cannabis with their age-related health needs? Is it because they are a cannabis-tolerant generation? To date there have been very few studies that have sought to investigate cannabis use among the growing population of elderly smokers.
It's estimated that 1 in 8 adults in the US smokes cannabis and about 13 percent of US adults report being a current cannabis user. Cannabis is a multi-billion dollar industry and as more people become familiarized with the possible benefits that can be derived from this plant, we can assume that more people might become open-minded toward using it.
Pics:
pixabay
tech times
livescience
sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/ss/ss6511a1.htm?s_cid=ss6511a1_e
http://www.livescience.com/48606-marijuana-maps-of-united-states.html
http://gerontologist.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2017/01/10/geront.gnw166.abstract?sid=52d0ec87-b371-47eb-8e00-1c526af4ce22
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629615000351
http://www.livescience.com/57504-why-more-older-americans-smoking-marijuana.html
http://www.gallup.com/poll/194195/adults-say-smoke-marijuana.aspx
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/08/health/marijuana-use-doubles-gallup-poll/