Edible Cannabis and Pain, Sleep, and Mental Health Management in Older Adults

What motivates older adults in Colorado to purchase edible cannabis products for sleep, pain, or mental health symptoms?In this qualitative study of 169 older adults, most participants selected combination tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) (57.5%) or CBD-only (28.7%) products, rather than THC alone (13.8%). Primary motivations were avoiding pharmaceuticals and seeking symptom relief after other options were exhausted; concerns about associated psychoactive outcomes were common, particularly for THC-containing products.The findings of this study suggest that older adults are increasingly turning to cannabis for symptom management; health care systems should consider motivations and concerns in physician guidance and resources.

Corresponding Author: Rebecca K. Delaney, PhD, University of Utah Intermountain Health Department of Population Health Sciences, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (rebecca.delaney@hsc.utah.edu).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.