Cannabis
New Research on the Risks of Cannabis Use for Seniors
Troubling new findings identify serious impacts of cannabis on people over 55.
Updated June 18, 2025 Reviewed by Margaret Foley
Key points
- Cannabis use among older adults in America has surged in recent years.
- New research highlights troubling side-effects and long-term risks of cannabis usage for older adults.
- Seniors who use cannabis should know the risks and seek professional help to manage symptoms and reduce usage.
Most Americans and Canadians of a certain age will remember the iconic anti-drug public service campaign from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. It began with a small frying pan with a sputtering knob of butter. A deep, imposing voice proclaims: “This is drugs.” A raw egg is dropped into the hot pan and quickly sizzles away. The narrator cautions: “This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?”
Emerging questions
Decades later, for the first generation who grew up with cannabis usage as part of normal—if not legal—life, recent research findings are posing troubling questions about the risks of cannabis usage for seniors, and raising concerns about the long-term cognitive impacts of cannabis usage.
The focus of research to date
To date, the lion’s share of research on the impacts of cannabis usage has focused on teens and young adults. As a result, the harmful impacts of habitual and heavy cannabis use on developing brains are increasingly acknowledged and understood, as are the impacts of cannabis usage on young adults on functional memory, and the negative physical and mental health effects of cannabis use, including impaired cognitive functioning, increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and, for heavy users, the risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD) and cyclic vomiting syndrome (also known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome).
New research focused on the short- and long-term impacts of cannabis usage among individuals 55 years of age and older reveals troubling side-effects and long-term risks for older adults.
New highs in cannabis usage
According to a Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) study released in June 2025, cannabis usage among older adults in America has reached a new high. The study reports “a nearly 46 percent increase in only two years.” Study findings also reveal a dramatic increase in usage by seniors with complex health issues and chronic diseases and conditions, including cancer, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD), heart conditions, and diabetes. A June 2024 segment on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s current affairs radio program "The Current" reported that Statistics Canada identified seniors as the fastest-growing age group of cannabis consumers in the country. What’s more, Statistics Canada also reports a troubling rise in related emergency room visits and cannabis poisoning in this population since its legalization in 2018.
Potential negative impacts of mixing CBD with prescription and OTC medications
Increasingly, seniors are turning to cannabis to manage chronic pain and are unaware of the risks of mixing CBD with prescription or over-the-counter medications, and, in some cases, herbal supplements. According to a 2021 article in Harvard Health, CBD usage can negatively impact the effectiveness of medications and result in several additional troubling side effects, including drowsiness, an increased risk of falling, and an increased risk of accidents while driving.
Findings caution of serious impacts on older adults
A new Canadian study, published in JAMA in in June 2025 found that “Individuals with cannabis use severe enough to require hospital-based care were at increased risk of a new dementia diagnosis compared with those with all-cause hospital-based care or the general population.” In short, this study concludes that individuals requiring acute care due to cannabis usage are significantly “more likely to receive dementia diagnoses within five years than the general population.”
Dr. Daniel Myran, lead author of this study, expressed his sobering concerns and cautions in a June 2025 New York Times article, stating that “the rapid expansion of regular cannabis use in North America is outpacing our knowledge,” and suggesting that cannabis users “be open to the idea that there are groups who probably shouldn’t use it and that there are potential adverse effects from it.”
What now?
For cannabis users age 55 and over, these findings are a wake-up call. The reality is that knowledge is power, and with it we can change course and make healthier choices. There’s no time like the present to break free of harmful patterns and create a healthier and happier future.
For seniors struggling with cannabis usage
What you can do if you or someone close to you is seeking to manage or eliminate their cannabis usage:
- Acknowledge the extent of and reasons for using cannabis.
- Build awareness around the cognitive and physical risks associated with cannabis usage in older adults. This awareness will provide incentives for you or someone you care about to address the role of cannabis.
- Reflect on how cannabis usage has negatively impacted your daily life.
- Take steps to reduce and eliminate the use of cannabis to manage uncomfortable symptoms.
- Reach out to family members, friends, and community resources for help and support.
- Consult your GP for alternative pain management options and specialist referrals.
- Work with a therapist to explore and break free from habitual, problematic, and unhealthy cannabis usage.
To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
