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Medical Marijuana Use in Older Adults
Author(s) -
Briscoe Joshua,
Casarett David
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.15346
Subject(s) - medicine , polypharmacy , context (archaeology) , baby boomers , quality of life (healthcare) , psychiatry , medline , falls in older adults , gerontology , injury prevention , poison control , medical emergency , intensive care medicine , nursing , paleontology , political science , economics , law , demographic economics , biology
Symptom management in older adults, including pain and distressing non‐pain symptoms, can be challenging. Medications can cause side effects that worsen quality of life or create other symptoms, and polypharmacy itself can be detrimental in older adults. Cannabinoids may offer a way of managing selected symptoms with fewer side effects. Medical marijuana is an important area of study for older adults because of the side effects of other medications. It is also important for Baby Boomers, who are likely to have more experience with marijuana than older adults of previous generations. Therefore, geriatricians should understand medical marijuana's clinical indications, adverse effects, and legal context. This article reviews the evidence regarding indications for and risks of medical marijuana use in older adults.