WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new University of Michigan poll on Healthy Aging found that a sizeable number of U.S. adults aged 50 and above had consumed cannabis in various forms over the last year.
The poll, conducted online and via phone between February and March 2024, involved about 1,000 older adults in Michigan and 3,000 older adults living in other states, focusing on the use of cannabis products with psychoactive amounts of THC.
The findings revealed that one in five older Americans consumed marijuana atleast once in the past year. Of these, 81 percent used it for relaxation purposes, 68 percent for a better sleep, 63 percent for pain relief, 53 percent for mental health, and 64 percent used it for simply feeling good.
The AARP-backed study noted that 12 percent of the total participants used cannabis at least once a month, 9 percent consumed it on a weekly basis, and 5 percent were daily users.
The data identified Michigan as the largest cannabis market in the U.S. by volume, where half of the older residents used it at least once a year, primarily for treating various medical conditions.
'Our findings, in Michigan and nationally, show the need for more education and awareness, especially among those who choose to use cannabis more frequently,' Erin Bonar, an addiction psychologist and researcher at U-M who collaborated with the poll team on the analysis, said in a statement.
Researchers speculate that the number of older cannabis users is likely to grow in the future as more states are legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.
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