Skip to main content
Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Prescribed Medical Cannabis Use Among Older Individuals: Patient Characteristics and Improvements in Well-Being: Findings from T21

By June 4, 2024June 24th, 2024No Comments

Observational Study
. 2024 Jun;41(6):521-530.

doi: 10.1007/s40266-024-01123-y. Epub 2024 Jun 17.

Michael T Lynskey 1, Hannah Thurgur 2, Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli 2, Anne K Schlag 2 3, David J Nutt 2 3
Affiliations 

Abstract

Background: Previous research has suggested that the use of cannabis-based medicinal products is increasing most rapidly among older aged individuals (65+ years). Despite this, little is known about the characteristics of older people using cannabis-based medicinal products and their effectiveness.

Objectives: We aimed to document the characteristics, outcomes and prescribing patterns of individuals aged 65+ years receiving prescribed cannabis compared to younger individuals receiving prescribed cannabis.

Methods: Data from T21, an observational study of patients seeking treatment with medicinal cannabinoids, including self-report ratings of quality of life (assessed via the EQ-5D-5L), general health (assessed via the visual analogue scale of the EQ-5D-5L), mood (assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and sleep (assessed using four items derived from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were available at treatment entry [n = 4228; 198 (4.7%) 65+ years] and at a 3-month follow-up [n = 2455; 98 (4.2%) = 65+ years].

Results: Relative to younger individuals, those aged over 64 years were more likely to be female (52.5% vs 47.0%; p < 0.001), more likely to report pain as their primary condition (76.3% vs 45.6%; p < 0.001) and less likely to report current daily use (20.2% vs 60.3%, p < 0.001). They received fewer cannabis-based medicinal products (mean = 1.4 vs 2.1; F(1,2199) = 32.3, p < 0.001) and were more likely to receive a prescription for a cannabidiol dominant oil (17.5% vs 5.7%; p < 0.001) and less likely to receive a prescription for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol dominant flower (32.5% vs 75.2%; p < 0.001). There were significant improvements across all measures of well-being (p < 0.001), but the extent of improvements in sleep were more marked in younger individuals (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: There are important differences between individuals aged 65+ years and younger individuals receiving cannabis-based medicinal products. Older aged individuals experience considerable improvement in health and well-being when prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hall W, Lynskey M. Assessing the public health impacts of legalizing recreational cannabis use: the US experience. World Psychiatry. 2020;19(2):179–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20735 . – DOI – PubMed – PMC
    1. Han BH, Sherman S, Mauro PM, Martins SS, Rotenberg J, Palamar JJ. Demographic trends among older cannabis users in the United States, 2006–13. Addict. 2017;112(3):516–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.13670 . – DOI
    1. Salas-Wright CP, Vaughan MG, Cummings-Vaughan LA et al. Trends and correlates of marijuana use among late middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 2002–2014. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017;171:97–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.11.031 . – DOI – PubMed
    1. Yang KH, Kaufmann CN, Nafsu R et al. Cannabis: an emerging treatment for common symptoms in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021;69(1):91–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16833 . – DOI – PubMed
    1. Kostadinov V, Roche A. Bongs and baby boomers: trends in cannabis use among older Australians. Australas J Ageing. 2017;36(1):56–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12357 . – DOI – PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut – more resources

Leave a Reply