CANNABIS AND ELDERLY: 10 REASONS FOR WHICH IT IS

USED BY OVER 65

According to analysts, the population over 65 represents the demographic group with the highest growth rate in the use of therapeutic cannabis. A survey carried out on 47 thousand people - aged over 50 - highlighted that the use of marijuana, in the reference age group, has increased in the last years by 250%.

The reason is soon to be said. In countries where cannabis has become legal for therapeutic purposes, more and more patients choose to treat their diseases with this plant, and the elderly are no exception: thanks to the reduction of preconceptions due to years of prohibition, the awareness of people on the marijuana quality is growing and the reflection of this situation leads to a sharp decrease in traditional drugs in favor of cannabis.

A 2018 study conducted on some elderly subjects revealed that 93.7 percent of patients perceived an improvement in symptoms (such as chronic pain) after taking marijuana for six months. But there's more: 18 percent of the study's patients have drastically reduced (and in some cases even stopped) opiate consumption thanks to cannabis.

The drama of opiate abuse in the United States (but not only) is a sad affair now known to the US health care system, and the elderly are the most affected by this heavy social scourge. Suffice it to say that in 2013 55% of opiate prescriptions were targeted at the elderly, which in the United States represent 13% of the population, an alarming figure.

Fortunately, today there is a powerful ally in the fight against opioid abuse: CANNABIS. So if you also want to talk about the incredible talents of this plant with your grandparents, take a look at the list of the ten main reasons why the elderly around the world are using therapeutic cannabis

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# 1 CHRONIC PAIN

From fibromyalgia to arthritis, chronic pain weakens many seniors. But marijuana is leading to a revolutionary paradigm shift. Cannabis is able to help treat neuropathic pain and pain caused by arthritis and inflammation, thanks to the endocannabinoid system present in our body. When cannabis is ingested, its compounds - including THC and CBD - inhibit the molecules that cause inflammation in the body and interact with other natural painkillers, such as the endogenous opioid system, which is also present in our body.

# 2 GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in people over 60 years. Glaucoma is a condition that increases the pressure in the eye, caused by an accumulation of fluid, which leads to damage to the nerves. To combat this disease, patients need to relieve this pressure by applying special eye drops. The drops to be applied can be particularly expensive and must be used several times throughout the day. Even in this case the elderly can rely on the therapeutic properties of marijuana, in fact it is able to naturally relieve the ocular pressure and its effects can last several hours. One of the best techniques for taking cannabis for the purpose of relieving eye pressure is vaping, that is, the use of marijuana through vaporization, thanks to the personal vaporizers that can now be found on the market almost everywhere.

#3 ALZHEIMER

cannabis has shown incredible potential both in terms of treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's and dementia. Studies have shown that the intake of micro-doses of THC have the ability to slow - and even reverse - the production of beta amylode proteins in the brain. These proteins are highly toxic and form plaques in the brain that are responsible for the difficulty in accessing information. Even in this case it is precisely the cannabis to help the elderly: the THC interacts with the natural endocannabinoids of the brain to prevent cell death.

#4 PARKINSON

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder that causes the death of brain cells responsible for the production of dopamine. Because dopamine helps the body control the muscles and thus make it move smoothly, Parkinson's causes uncontrollable tremors and muscle spasms. Dopamine deficiency is usually a cause of symptoms such as:

      Loss of balance
     Muscle stiffness
     Sleep problems
     Loss of cognitive functions
     Memory loss and dementia

The cause of the death of cells responsible for the production of dopamine is still unknown today and this means that there are no effective treatments for the treatment of Parkinson's, but only drugs that help to mitigate the symptoms. However, a study conducted in Israel on the effects of cannabis on Parkinson's symptoms shows that tremors and muscle stiffness significantly decreased after patients began to take marijuana.

#5 CANCER

Going back in time, we find that one of the main reasons why medical marijuana became legal in California in the 1990s is its natural ability to help cancer patients. Initially, cannabis was useful for the treatment of side effects caused by chemotherapy, including pain and nausea.

Further research into the application of cannabis in the fight against cancer has shown that it can kill cancer cells. Subsequently it was verified that marijuana is able to slow down the proliferation of different types of cancer such as breast, prostate and lung cancer. In addition, researchers at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine have discovered that cannabis is able to prevent "metastasis", which is the spread of cancer cells into healthy tissues.

#6 APPETITE

Loss of appetite in elderly subjects is a fairly common condition that - according to a 2014 study - these subjects represent 78% of anorexia deaths. The result is that even in this case cannabis can become a powerful ally for our grandparents: as we all know marijuana is able to stimulate the appetite and therefore bring the elderly subject to proper nutrition.

#7 SLEEP

As we age we can clearly see that our body is resting less than when we were young. Precisely for this reason the elderly have a tendency to suffer from insomnia. However, sleep is essential for living a healthy life and for recovering from illness and injury. Right here, cannabis plays a fundamental role for the elderly. In fact, some marijuana strains - like the predominantly indica strains - are known for their ability to relax the body and induce drowsiness. Also CBD oil possesses this type of characteristic and could be the best solution for the treatment of insomnia in elderly subjects.

#8 CROHN'S DISEASE

Crohn's disease is a condition that causes abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and consequent weight loss. It represents a very difficult condition with which to live and to date does not have a cure. Even here, cannabis can be a great relief for those suffering from this disease. In addition to its ability to provide relief in people suffering from Crohn's disease, cannabis seems - according to some preliminary studies - able to bring the disease into a state of remission. This is because Crohn's disease is an inflammation of a gastrointestinal tract and marijuana has high anti-inflammatory abilities.

#9 DEPRESSION

Depression is a very common condition in Western countries, especially in the elderly. Suffice it to say that in the United States alone there are about 7 million Americans over 65 who suffer from this condition. What better cure for the mood than cannabis? Marijuana is known to improve mood and decrease anxiety, this is one of the main reasons for its wide use among people. If your loved ones suffer from chronic depression the best solution is to consume cannabis with a low THC content and high CBD.

#10 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis affects more than 2.3 million people - of all age groups worldwide. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis include muscle spasms, gastrointestinal pain and both muscle and neurological pain. Cannabis can help alleviate these symptoms, thus improving the quality of life for those affected by this condition. Moreover - according to a study conducted in 2017 - cannabis is one of the few substances able to promote neurogenesis.

 

These are just some of the many uses that can be made of marijuana and a demonstration of how even older people can benefit from the qualities of this plant, which every day surprises more and more in terms of efficiency and versatility.