From retirement communities to nursing homes, older Americans are increasingly turning to marijuana for relief from aches and pains; connecting retirement and cannabis. Many have embraced it as an alternative to powerful drugs like morphine, saying that marijuana is less addictive with fewer side effects, while some see it as a last resort.
Retirement and cannabis are on the rise. Ruth Brunn, who at 98 has neuropathy, is one of many elderly people finally saying ‘yes’ to marijuana. The nursing home in New York City where she lives, the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, is taking the unusual step of helping its residents use medical marijuana under a new program to treat various illnesses with an alternative to prescription drugs. While the staff will not store or administer the plant, residents are allowed to buy it from a dispensary, keep it in locked boxes in their rooms and take it on their own.
While there is no shortage of research on marijuana, relatively little of it has focused explicitly on older users even as their numbers grow—and not just in the United States. For instance, Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group, helped open a research center in the Czech Republic that is evaluating its impact on older people. Cannabis has also been used for its medicinal purposes for years now in countries like Israel and Canada—countries who are paving the way with new dispensaries and programs benefiting the health of their citizens regardless of age.
With 19 states currently selling recreational cannabis, it may be tempting to forgo a medical card, even if you qualify as a patient. While recreational marijuana is accessible in many states for those of age, there are still some benefits to having a medical marijuana card and purchasing medical marijuana instead of recreational pot. For…
A type of arthritis known as ‘gout’ is common, complex, and can affect anyone. Patients who suffer from gout are plagued by sudden and severe spikes of pain, swelling, and more. This condition affects certain joints but is often the joint at the base of the big toe. Gout is triggered by arthropathy which is…
In 1970 cannabis was federally placed as a Schedule I drug in the US, a category that is tightly restricted and reserved for drugs not medically accepted. When it comes to classifying drugs medically or recreationally, generally there are four broad categories according to the US federal government. Based on their properties and effects, a…
A New Mexico judge has instructed the state’s Department of Health (DOH) and the Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD) to halt the enforcement of stringent medical cannabis purchase limits. The previously imposed limits were included in an older version of the state’s cannabis law. Based on the judge’s demand, New Mexico’s medical cannabis purchase limits…
With the increase in cannabis legalization came an increased interest in cannabis edibles—which have quite a reputation. Edibles have come to be known as a different kind of cannabis experience in which the effects take a while to kick in but last for several hours. While brownies are famous as the most traditional form of…
For those interested in ensuring that the cannabis being sold today is pure and safe for consumption…this one’s for you! As the…
New York’s cannabis board is in the midst of shaping a socially equitable state recreational cannabis program, Republican lawmakers in Ohio are…
Based on the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), commercial drivers love cannabis….
