ArticleJournal of the American Geriatrics Society2021
Cannabis: An Emerging Treatment for Common Symptoms in Older Adults.
Article in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 60 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
60 citing papers in PubMed, 90 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence, Correlates, and Treatment of Major Depression Among Community-Dwelling Adults Aged ≥50 in the US.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2026Article
- Cannabis for sleep in older adults: use has outpaced the science.Journal of cannabis research · 2026Article
- Modes of Cannabis Use and Mental Health Outcomes Among Older Adults in the United States.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- Cannabis Use Among People Aged 65 and Older: Results From an Intercept Survey in New York City.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- Past-Month Tobacco and Cannabis Co-Use by Chronic Disease and Sociodemographic Factors Among U.S. Adults 65+ Years (2021-2023).Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2026Article
- Lifetime Cannabis Use Is Associated With Brain Volume and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs · 2026Article
- Clinical Study to Evaluate Drug Interactions of Cannabidiol with Citalopram and Morphine in Healthy Adults.Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics · 2026Article
- Age-Related Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids on Brain and Behavior.Cannabis and cannabinoid research · 2026Review
- Epidemiology of Cannabis Use Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the U.S.American journal of preventive medicine · 2026Article
- Associations of cannabis use, other substances, and lifestyle choices on anxiety in medical cannabis patients across 45 days.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Navigating dose-effect complexities and challenges in cannabinoid therapy for aging-related neurobiological changes.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Recent Trends in Cannabis Use in Adults Ages 60 Years and Older.Substance abuse and rehabilitation · 2026Review
- Supporting family caregivers: Variations in caregiving among families managing chronic health conditions.The American psychologist · 2025Article
- Prevalence and correlates of tobacco and cannabis co-use among late middle-aged (50-64 years) and older adults (65+ years) in the United States using pooled national survey data.The American journal on addictions · 2025Article
- Does Cannabis Use Reduce Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Insomnia Among Older Adults? A Systematic Review.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2025Article
- Development and validation of the Comprehensive Cannabis Motives Questionnaire (CCMQ).Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2025Article
- Prevalence of Self-Reported Adverse Effects to Cannabis by Older Canadians: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Drugs & aging · 2025Article
- The Combined Relationship of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Enactment and Medical Cannabis Laws with Chronic Pain-Related Healthcare Visits.Journal of general internal medicine · 2025Article
- Effects of cannabis smoke and oral Δ9THC on cognition in young adult and aged rats.Psychopharmacology · 2025Article
- Cannabis Consumption Among Adults Aged 55-65 in Canada, 2018-2021.Journal of drug issues · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesUse of cannabis is increasing in a variety of populations in the United States; however, few investigations about how and for what reasons cannabis is used in older populations exist.
designAnonymous survey.
settingGeriatrics clinic.
participantsA total of 568 adults 65 years and older.
interventionNot applicable. MEASUREMENTS: Survey assessing characteristics of cannabis use.
resultsApproximately 15% (N = 83) of survey responders reported using cannabis within the past 3 years. Half (53%) reported using cannabis regularly on a daily or weekly basis, and reported using cannabidiol-only products (46%). The majority (78%) used cannabis for medical purposes only, with the most common targeted conditions/symptoms being pain/arthritis (73%), sleep disturbance (29%), anxiety (24%), and depression (17%). Just over three-quarters reported cannabis "somewhat" or "extremely" helpful in managing one of these conditions, with few adverse effects. Just over half obtained cannabis via a dispensary, and lotions (35%), tinctures (35%), and smoking (30%) were the most common administration forms. Most indicated family members (94%) knew about their cannabis use, about half reported their friends knew, and 41% reported their healthcare provider knowing. Sixty-one percent used cannabis for the first time as older adults (aged ≥61 years), and these users overall engaged in less risky use patterns (e.g., more likely to use for medical purposes, less likely to consume via smoking).
conclusionMost older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression. Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.