Joy Crowley took her first puff of marijuana last year, sometime after she turned 79.

While recovering from hip replacement surgery a few years ago, she had a serious adverse reaction to the medications prescribed for pain, as well as many over-the-counter medications “all the way down to Aleve.”

She now suffers from arthritis throughout much of her body. “I take two puffs of hot marijuana oil when I feel I need it,” she says. “And I use a topical salve derived from cannabis on the joints of my hands when the barometer changes, and that really helps, too—if you don’t mind being a little green for a while and aren’t going out in polite company.”

Imbibing is a family affair. “My husband, Joe, a longtime former president of the University of Nevada in Reno, became a board member of a medical marijuana company here last year—and of course, when it became public knowledge, the newspaper headlined ‘Joe Crowley to Open One of Reno’s First Pot Shops’,” she recalls. “It went over the wires, and was repeated in some newspapers all over the U.S., and he heard at once from friends he’s not been in contact with for decades. So now we regularly get contacted by people who want to know how to get into using it. That includes my ‘lunch bunch ladies’ who are all about my age. They were unenthusiastic at first. Now they’re all converts,” she says.

Though most people don’t have their smoking habits outed so publicly, the Crowleys are far from alone.

The Current State of the States

Driven largely by states that allow residents to enact legislation through a referendum process, state laws have been catching up to reality. The National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) heralded 2016 as “a monumental year for marijuana law reform,” with several states approving adult use measures for the first time. That trend accelerated in the years that followed.

As of June 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana by adults, including possession of defined amounts of the drug. Most states now permit medical use of marijuana with a physician’s prescription, while some others permit doctors to prescribe cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical derived from marijuana plants, provided the CBD has a low THC  content.

State Laws Regulating Marijuana Use

As of June 2024

Why Seniors Are Smoking

Critics argue that legalization carries with it many risks. They cite marijuana use as the precursor to addiction and misuse of other substances, as well as a number of other social ills including increases in crime, traffic accidents and healthcare costs. And they point to the voice from on high—a federal law, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970—which classifies marijuana as a dangerous Schedule 1 drug, alongside Ecstasy (MDMA), heroin, and LSD. The government softened this stance some in 2009, noting that it would no longer prosecute individuals using or distributing medical marijuana in keeping with state laws. And four years later, the Justice Department announced it would not interfere with state laws on either medical or recreational marijuana use that conflict with federal policies.

More seniors are turning deaf ears to the critics. One reason is obvious: the habits and attitudes that Baby Boomers, who account for the burgeoning population of older Americans. Many Boomers grew accustomed to smoking marijuana in their youth; some kept up the habit, and a growing number are returning to it after time away. Those in the preceding generation tend to be more swayed by the scariness of life-ruining madness and mayhem such as that portrayed in the 1936 film, Reefer Madness. They also tend to be more worshipful of traditional medicine and doctors’ orders.

In fact, the current advocates of easing access to marijuana point to its potential health benefits, citing studies finding it can be an effective treatment for a number of symptoms and disorders especially known to target older people — including chronic pain, anxiety, nausea, psychosis, and sleep disorders. There is also growing evidence that medical marijuana may be more effective and less toxic than traditional medications and regimes — especially given the common problems and side effects associated with opioids.

And a number of recent studies tout results that fly in the face of long-held beliefs about dazed-out hippies. At least one recent study concluded that medical marijuana laws lead to health improvements in older workers, allowing them to stay in the workforce longer. And additional research by Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and McLean Hospital found that those who used marijuana for the first time or after abstaining for at least 10 years not only slept better and were substantially less likely to feel depressed and use prescription drugs, but actually showed improved levels of cognitive performance, such as naming words and identifying colors.

The movement to reform marijuana laws has been driven by a shared understanding that the chemicals produced by cannabis plants are not nearly so dangerous as the government once wanted the public to believe. Influenced by sources like Reefer Madness, politicians insisted that criminalizing marijuana ingestion was necessary keep people safe. The federal government listed marijuana and its active ingredient as a Schedule I controlled substance, a classification reserved for regulated drugs that create a high risk of dependence and have no medical use.

Putting science ahead of politics, the Department of Health and Human Services has acknowledged that marijuana does have accepted medical uses. Seniors who were reluctant to try a Schedule I drug may be encouraged by the Department of Justice’s proposal to reclassify marijuana by transferring it from Schedule I to Schedule III, a schedule that encompasses drugs that have a low risk of abuse and potential medical uses.

Take a Cautious Approach

Cannabis plants produce two active chemicals that affect bodies and minds: THC and CBD. The chemical that alters feelings and perceptions (creating a sensation of being “high”) is THC, while CBD promotes relaxation and sleep without impairing the mind.

The cannabis plants cultivated by commercial growers tend to produce more potent concentrations of THC than the pot that seniors might have smoked before they started to raise a family. Seniors who are returning to marijuana after a long absence should start with small doses until they understand the effects of a particular product. They may want to sample different cannabis products to find one they can use comfortably.

Some seniors might prefer ingestible candies or gummies. “Edibles” may feature THC from sativa or indica plants. They may instead be infused with CBD alone or in combination with THC.

Edibles do not irritate the lungs or throat, as might the inhalation of marijuana smoke. Because edibles take effect gradually, they might be more comfortable for some seniors than the faster and stronger sensation that smoking produces. However, since it takes longer for edibles to “kick in,” edible consumers should wait three or four hours before swallowing a second gummy to avoid ingesting an uncomfortably large dose.

Like alcohol and nearly all other drugs, marijuana may not be perfectly safe for every user. A Canadian public health agency, while recognizing the medical benefits of marijuana use, warns seniors to be particularly cautious about marijuana use if their liver or kidney is in poor health or if they have one of these conditions:

• Heart conditions or unstable blood pressure
• Cognitive impairments or problems with balance
• History of mental health challenges or substance use disorders

Older adults should also ask their doctors whether marijuana use will interact negatively with other medications that the doctor has prescribed. Most health professionals warn against mixing marijuana with alcohol or other recreational drugs, regardless of the consumer’s age.

(This article has been updated July, 2024 since it originally published December, 2016.)