5 Reasons CBD Use in Seniors Will Soar

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) products are becoming more popular in the United States as more states legalize marijuana and develop medical marijuana programs. THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana (produces the high). CBD is not psychoactive and can be found both in marijuana and hemp plants.

After the farm bill passed in 2018, CBD was legal if it was derived from hemp, which is defined in the legislation as the cannabis plant with less than 0.3 percent of THC. The bill also set up shared federal and state regulatory guidelines for hemp-related products. States could work to develop their own regulations or just allow regulation at the federal level. Over the last two years, most states have developed their own regulations and low THC CBD is now available in all 50 states.

Many Seniors are not Familiar with CBD

In a 2019 Gallup poll, 14% of Americans have used a CBD product, with 40% using it to relieve pain and another 20% to reduce anxiety. In seniors ages 50–64, 11% had used a CBD product and in the 65 and older age group, 8% had used a CBD product. What was fascinating was that 36% of seniors aged 50–64 and 49% of seniors over the age of 65 were unfamiliar with CBD products. With CBD now available in every state, it is only a matter of time before seniors become more familiar with CBD products and their benefits.

Chronic Pain Increases with Age

Baby boomers, defined as Americans born between 1946 and 1964, are fueling the growth in the 65 years and older age group. In 2014, the 65 and older age group made up 15% of the overall population, in 2020 the group made up 21% of the total population and by 2030, 24% of Americans will be 65 and older.

National Center for Health Statistics 2019 Survey on chronic pain found that both chronic pain and high impact chronic pain (pain that limited activities and work) increased with age. The survey found that over 3 months, 25.8% of respondents age 45–64 and 30.8% age 65 and older had chronic pain. In the chronic pain group, 10.3% of respondents age 45–64 and 11.8% age 65 and older suffered from high impact chronic pain. That’s a lot of seniors with chronic pain that will be looking for solutions to reduce pain and remain active.

The Science Makes Sense

The rationale behind why CBD and THC may have many therapeutic uses centers on the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). It’s essentially the body’s internal cannabinoid system. ECS is important for maintaining homeostasis, or steady-state. The system was discovered after two receptors were identified in 1990; CB1 which is located predominantly in the nervous system and CB2 which is located within the immune system. When the body is stressed and homeostasis is altered, ECS works through these receptors and other enzymes to return the body to equilibrium.

With ECS receptors throughout the nervous and immune systems, it seems reasonable to assume that CBD and THC can have the potential to reduce pain and inflammation. Studies have shown that a combination of THC and CBD can relieve neuropathic pain (diabetic neuropathy) and pain associated with malignant cancers. Sativex an oral spray combination of THC and CBD has shown promising results in reducing pain and spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis patients. While more studies are needed, these studies demonstrate the potential of THC and CBD for relieving chronic pain and inflammation in seniors.

Safer Alternative than Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAID) Drugs

NSAID’s are commonly used for pain in most age groups. Examples of NSAIDs are aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (celebrex), and diclofenac (voltapren). They are usually the first drug of choice for seniors with pain. In fact, for seniors 60 years of age and older, 7.3% filled at least one NSAID prescription within one year and these numbers don’t include over-the-counter NSAID use. In that same study, 60% of seniors who filled an NSAID prescription had co-prescriptions of medications that could result in drug interactions with medications used to treat hypertension and/or heart failure. In addition to drug interactions, NSAIDs’ adverse drug effects in seniors include gastroduodenal ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, and nephrotoxicity (kidney complications).

CBD is fairly safe when taken orally or sprayed under the tongue. Reported adverse effects include dry mouth, diarrhea, dizziness, reduced appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue. In Studies on pain for malignant cancer, THC and CBD use were considered safe with minimal side effects.

Lack of Federal Regulation

CBD is considered a dietary supplement by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements. In Canada, where THC and CBD are regulated, THC and CBD use in seniors increased from 17.6% to 31.2% from 2017 to 2019. Without federal regulation, the U.S. rates will outpace the Canadian rates. That is what happened with dietary supplements. In a survey reported in the Journal of Nutrition, 70% of older adults ( > 60 years) had taken at least one dietary supplement in 30 days and 29% had taken four or more. We should expect the same experience in the 60 years and older age group as they become more comfortable with CBD and THC products.

Tom’s Take-Aways

• Seniors are the fastest growing age group in the U.S.
• Over 30% of seniors suffer from chronic pain.
• 40% of Americans that use CBD take it to relieve pain.
• Seniors are just beginning to learn about CBD and its potential benefits.
• Seniors are primed to become the largest segment of the CBD market.