CBD Use in Older Adults: Trends and Health Impacts from a Recent Study

A recent study aimed to examine the association between cannabis use, mental and physical health, and use of other substances and cannabidiol (CBD) use in adults over the age of 50. The study, “Cannabidiol Use Among Older Adults: Associations with Cannabis Use, Physical and Mental Health, and Other Substance Use,” was published in November 2024 in Clinical Gerontologist. It was funded by a grant awarded by the National Institute on Aging to the Center on Aging and Population Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.

The researchers used data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to study 10,516 respondents who were ages 50 and older, looking at CBD use in two age groups: 50–64 and the 65+.

Results included:

• In the 50–64 age group, 18.3% and 18.0% reported past-year CBD and cannabis, respectively, use
• These percentages were 14.3% and 8.0% for the 65+ age group
• Significant positive associations were shown in both age groups with both medical and non-medical cannabis use
• In the 50–64 age group, CBD use was positively associated with physical/mental health and illicit drug use problems and with disordered psychotherapeutic drug use in the 65+ age group
• A lower likelihood of CBD use was seen with minoritized older adults

“CBD use is common, more so than cannabis especially in the 65+ age group and positively correlated with both medical and nonmedical cannabis use,” the researchers concluded in the abstract. Based on the results, they also noted the need for more research on the positive and negative effects of CBD use in older adults and for public education directed to this age group as the number of CBD users continues to grow.

CBD is increasingly being used as a treatment for certain conditions experienced by older adults. As highlighted in the June 2024 webinar from Healer, hosted by Dustin Sulak, DO, several studies published earlier this year explored cannabis – including CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – used as a treatment for dementia and cognitive decline. Six studies, including case studies and trials, and their results were discussed and analyzed, including the benefits and drawbacks.

Reference

1. Choi, NG.; Marti, CN.; Choi BY. “Cannabidiol Use Among Older Adults: Associations with Cannabis Use, Physical and Mental Health, and Other Substance Use.” Clinical Gerontologist, 2024. DOI:10.1080/07317115.2024.2429595.