Seniors, you are not alone

Seniors are the fastest growing demographic of Cannabis users, and for good reason. Between 2013 and 2014, the amount of Seniors trying Cannabis rose from 2.8 million to 4.3 million. Social taboos of old, have created barriers to open communication about Cannabis and the Medicinal use of Marijuana. With more and more Seniors partaking and with groups like Senior MMJ Network, we hope you will find that friend, that confidant to speak candidly with.

We are fortunate enough to work with many Seniors in our area and when we first meet, they have a lot of the same concerns and questions. You can find the common ones HERE It's always great to have a group of people to bounce ideas off of and to share your experiences with. First-hand experiences are a great source of information.

Seniors consist of roughly 14% of the US population, but they consume more than 30% of all prescription drugs, including many highly addictive opioids. Considering the alternatives, it makes sense that Cannabis use amongst people 50+ is up over 53%. Medical Marijuana is legal in over half of the US states and over half of this nations population lives in state with some sort of legal Marijuana program.

Harborside in Oakland, CA, is one of this countries largest Medical Marijuana dispensaries. Owner Steve DeAngelo wants more Seniors to consider the medicinal benefits of Marijuana.

"There's [an] ironic, almost tragic phenomenon, which is that Seniors, who are one of the groups who can most benefit from use of Cannabis, are the single group which remains most opposed to reforming Cannabis laws," DeAngelo said.

A contributing factor to the rise in Seniors trying Medical Marijuana is that new research is showing how Cannabis can be helpful.

"It's certainly true that Cannabis and THC have a much better safety profile than the opioid drugs... and are less physiologically addicting. So they're safer. That doesn't mean they're completely safe. ... Nothing is completely safe. There is no panacea here," Grant said. Dr. Igor Grant has a rare federal grant to study the potential benefits of Marijuana.

The truth is being documented and we learn more as time passes. What we do know now, is that Seniors are able to benefit greatly from Medical Marijuana for certain conditions and life-quality aspects. We know it feels like you are all alone on an empty island, wondering if you should consider MMJ or not. We are here and now more than ever, your peers are joining in too. We'd love to hear and share your story, please, drop us a line if you have an experience that can help others. Thank you!

Email - seniorsMMJnetwork@gmail.com

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