Seniors and MMJ in focus - A closer look

Seniors and Cannabis, it is obviously a subject we are passionate about. We recognized years ago, that Seniors are the largest demographic that could benefit from Medical Marijuana. They are often not aware of the facts and science behind the Cannabis plant and we chose their education as our mission. It's been wonderful to see the conversation expanding to other sources as well. Last week, CBS news produced an excellent article on the topic of Seniors and Marijuana.

"Seniors don't want to get high; they want to get well," Taylor said. "And the Cannabis helps."

Polling confirms that more and more Americans age 55 and up are using more and more Marijuana. One reason is geography: almost half of Americans live in a place where Marijuana is legal for recreational or medical purposes.

We will bring you some of the highlights below, but we do encourage you to check out the full article, which does an excellent job of providing additional links to sources and studies. Find the full article - HERE

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who initially opposed legalization, now says he sees how it can work for those over-55.

"For seniors that want to, kind of, relax and don't want to use alcohol, this is a choice maybe that they will embrace more than others," Hickenlooper said. "

Keep in mind, Americans over-65 only account for 14 percent of the nation's population, but they use more than 30 percent of all prescription drugs. But for some, lingering stereotypes -- and stigmas from another time -- are hard to overcome.

Research is increasing, and Dr. Grant is the recipient of one of the rare federal grants allowing him to research the potential benefits of Cannabis.

"First of all, there is increasing evidence that Cannabis is helpful in the management of certain kinds of pain," he said. And it's the kind of discomfort experienced by seniors, like sharp pains felt by nerve damage, caused by things like chemotherapy or diabetes.

We will see how the new science and evidence is received this fall when states across the country vote on legalizing Adult-use and Medical Marijuana. You can expect to see proposals to legalize Cannabis on ballots nationwide (including in Florida, Maine and Nevada).

And as more and more seniors embrace Medical Marijuana, that could make a difference at the polls. Get out and educate, get out and vote!

#mmjfacts #health