The Green Ages: Healing Senior Citizens with Natural Cannabis Medicines
Senior citizens often believe that experiencing pain is a natural result of aging and that nothing they try can alleviate these conditions.
Up to 50% of older adults living at home have significant pain that is persistent, which can have a severe impact on the health and happiness of their everyday lives. [1]
While many senior citizens attempt to treat their ailments with opioid painkillers, there could be a safer alternative that could help seniors live healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives: Cannabis.
Skepticism has long surrounded the topic of cannabis and its uses as a legitimate medication, especially among senior citizens. This skepticism was at large a product of the Reagan era that they lived through and the War on Drugs. Back in the 1970’s, cannabis was seen as a highly addictive gateway drug that could lead to the consumption of harder substances such as heroin. To this day, cannabis remains on the DEA’s list of Schedule I drugs.
However, despite the Schedule I classification by the federal government, the pace of both medical and adult use cannabis legalization by states across the country has been accelerating. It is no longer being seen as a dangerous substance, but rather as a medicine that can produce a significant number of beneficial effects on the body.
This growing acceptance of medicinal cannabis can especially be seen in the senior citizen community. In fact, seniors are the fastest growing demographic of cannabis users in the United States.
Between 2013 and 2014, the number of medical marijuana users aged 55 and over increased from 2.8 million to 4.3 million. [2]
Cannabis and its use for seniors
The human body has an endocannabinoid system, whose job is to promote balance in the body. Many of the medical problems that seniors face today are a direct result of an imbalance in other systems of the body, leading to various problems such as arthritis or depression. The cannabinoids in the cannabis plant affect the endocannabinoid system by attaching to endocannabinoid receptors. These endocannabinoid receptors are scattered throughout the body and the effect that each cannabinoid has within the body depends on which receptors it activates.
Medicinal cannabis has a substantial range of therapeutic uses, allowing it to be beneficial to practically anyone. Dr. Melamede, associate professor at the University of Colorado and a leading authority on cannabis, states that cannabinoids can…
“stave off inflammation and delay the onset of auto-immune diseases, inhibit the formation of Alzheimer’s disease and can help treat or even cure some types of cancer.” [3]
In addition, cannabis can be used as an alternative to opioid painkillers. Opioids are dangerous because of their addictive nature and the increased risk of heroin usage (to learn more about the dangers of opioids and the opioid crisis in America, check out this article).
Some seniors tend to venture away from medicinal cannabis use due to being uncomfortable with the prospect of feeling the psychoactive effects of cannabis. This psychoactive effect is produced by the active chemical compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), only one of many chemicals found in the cannabis plant.
Another active chemical compound found in cannabis is cannabidiol (CBD). This chemical can help alleviate pain without any of the psychoactive effects associated with THC. There are various cannabis strains that contain CBD and no to low amounts of THC, allowing seniors to obtain the health benefits without needing to worry about experiencing a “high”.
Specific medical problems that can be treated with cannabis
Chronic Pain: Chronic pain is the most common symptom for which patients use medical cannabis. As stated earlier, up to 50% of older adults living at home, and between 45 and 80% of those living in nursing homes, deal with chronic pain on a daily basis.
Cannabis consumption can help relieve senior citizens of daily pain. In a Harvard-led study examining the effectiveness of cannabis to treat pain, they found that the “use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis is supported by high quality evidence.” Cannabis can also be combined with doctor-prescribed medication, resulting in a lower dose for both medications.
Recommended Dosage: Optimal pain relief has a “sweet spot” for every individual. Higher doses of cannabinoids do not necessarily provide increased pain relief.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that deteriorates important mental functions such as memory. The main symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are memory loss and confusion. There are an estimated 5.5 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. Of these 5.5 million people, an estimated 5.3 million are age 65 and older.
In the United States, one out of every ten people over the age of 65 are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. [4]
While cannabis hasn’t been found to cure Alzheimer’s disease, it can be used to aid in making the lives of Alzheimer’s patients easier. Primarily, cannabis can be used to encourage sleep, to increase appetite and to calm agitation. In addition, cannabis has been found to have various anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease meaning cannabis could possibly stimulate neuroprotective mechanisms while dampening neuroinflammation to help inhibit the formation of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Recommended Dosage = 5 to 10 mg from a high-myrcene variety of cannabis (myrcene is one of many terpenes found in cannabis that interact with cannabinoid absorption in the body).
Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a type of disease that attacks the optic nerve, usually due to high eye pressure. The most common form of glaucoma occurs so gradually and painlessly that individuals usually do not become aware of it until the optic nerve is already badly damaged.
In the United States, more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness. [5]
Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million American individuals older than the age of 40, approximately 2% of this population.
Cannabis can be effective at reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients. While cannabis is not able to cure those afflicted by glaucoma, it can help slow down the development of glaucoma in patients. While cannabis can be helpful to reduce IOP, it is not a permanent solution as it is only effective for the three to four hours after consumption.
Recommended Dosage = Doses of 5 mg four times a day
Arthritis: Arthritis is a chronic condition that affects the joints in one’s body, usually resulting in painful, stiff joints. Able to attack almost any joint in the body, arthritis can cause pain, swelling, warmth and redness in your joints. The largest population that is affected by arthritis is senior citizens.
Around 49.6% of individuals over the age of 65 have reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. [6]
Arthritis typically refers to two forms of joint inflammation: rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The most common type of arthritis to affect seniors is osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in older people. The main reason that people develop osteoarthritis is growing older. Over time, cartilage (the tissue that pads bones in a joint) begins to wear away. The absence of cartilage causes bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness and mild to severe pain. This pain has a negative impact on many day-to-day action such as walking and bending over.
Because osteoarthritis is a disease based in inflammation, cannabis is able to be an effective treatment option due to its utility as an anti-inflammatory. In addition, cannabis consumption can help relieve the pain felt from osteoarthritis, making everyday tasks more tolerable.
Recommended Dosage = Optimal pain relief has a “sweet spot” for every individual. Higher doses of cannabinoids do not necessarily provide increased pain relief.
Methods of Consumption
A popular concern shared by seniors about cannabis is that the only option for consumption is smoking. Whenever the national media raises the subject of cannabis, it is often paired with a photograph of someone holding a burning joint or pipe.
While smoking of cannabis is still one of the more common ways of consuming, there are many alternatives for seniors who are looking to avoid the act itself, such as edibles, tinctures, and topical medications.
Edibles: Edibles are an excellent alternative way of consuming cannabis. Edibles are cannabis-infused foods that can range anywhere from chocolates and marshmallows to bacon. Not only are edibles tasty, but they also are easy to consume and are potent and body-focused, making them great for seniors who are suffering from pain, nausea or lack of appetite. They generally have a longer activation time in the body, meaning they kick in slower but last longer.
Tinctures: If you don’t feel like eating an edible, you can instead experiment with tinctures. Tinctures are extracts (most commonly alcohol-based) that allow seniors to easily measure and control their dosage. Tinctures can be used in a variety of ways, such as putting a small dosage under your tongue or using it in cooking. Tinctures are convenient, discrete and also serve as a great low calorie alternative to edibles.
Topical medications: Lastly, cannabis can also be consumed through topical medications. Topical medications are cannabis-infused skin lotions, balms and oils that can be applied to areas of discomfort for localized relief of pain, discomfort and inflammation. Seniors who are looking for a non-intoxicating form of cannabis relief can especially benefit from topical medication. In addition, topical medication seems to work best for patients who want to apply it to specific regions of the body, rather than patients who feel a general pain all over.
Other alternative means of consumption include vaporizing, sprays, and transdermal patches. The methods of ingesting THC, CBD or other cannabinoids will only continue to proliferate.
In conclusion…
The growing acceptance for medical cannabis is being seen in senior citizens who are increasingly beginning to realize its potential as a medical treatment for a variety of illnesses from chronic pain to arthritis and glaucoma.
New research continues to provide evidence for the benefits of medical cannabis, making it difficult to argue against its use as a treatment, especially when compared to the side effects of opioids and other prescription drugs.
Seniors who are interested in consuming medical cannabis have a variety of methods to choose from that do not involve smoking. It is always recommended that seniors go through credible and knowledgeable physicians who can educate them on which products and consumption methods might be best suited for them and their medical needs.
If you or a loved one are considering trying medical cannabis, services like Meadow MD aim to provide patients with the most secure and professional experience by connecting reputable, experienced physicians with patients through private video consultations.
Next steps for seniors looking to try medical cannabis:
- Determine if medical cannabis may be a treatment option for you.
2. Go through a reliable service provider to obtain a medical cannabis recommendation from a trusted physician.
3. Understand that having a medical cannabis recommendation will not put you on a government list and that your patient information remains confidential.
4. Once you get your recommendation, determine what strains and methods of consumption (i.e. smoking, vaping, edibles, etc.) will work best for you.
5. Seek out which local dispensaries or delivery services near you may carry medical cannabis products you are interested in trying.
6. Try the medical cannabis to alleviate symptoms of chronic pain, but as always, it is advised to use discretion, start slow, and consume cannabis responsibly.
