Phillips Kristina T, Pedula Kathryn L, Tsuzaki Kara, Erickson Catherine, Lai Jonathan, Simiola Vanessa, Wong Samantha, Pokhrel Pallav, Satre Derek D
Center for Integrated Health Care Research, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.
Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.
Cannabis. 2025 Jul 15;8(2):112-128. doi: 10.26828/cannabis/2025/000303. eCollection 2025.
Cannabis use among adults over age 50 is increasing, but data on specific products, co-use, and cannabis-related problems in this age group are lacking. The current study assessed differences in cannabis use patterns and alcohol and nicotine co-use by select demographic factors and medical cannabis status, as well as associations with problem cannabis use, among adults over 50.
Adults over age 50 who used cannabis use in the past 30 days were recruited from a healthcare system and invited to complete an online survey.
Participants ( = 367) were 43% female, with an average age of 65.9 ( = 8.6), and predominantly White (67.9%), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (NHPI; 12.3%), or Asian (9.3%). Mean frequency of cannabis use within the past 30 days was 18.7 days ( = 11.5), and 27% reported use of non-medical cannabis-only. Co-use of cannabis with other substances was common, especially alcohol. Although group comparisons showed several differences by age, sex, and medical cannabis status, greater differences were found by race/ethnicity. White participants were more likely than others to have a state medical cannabis card, source their cannabis solely from medical dispensaries, and report alcohol co-use. NHPI participants were most likely to smoke cannabis and use tobacco. Smoking, as compared to consuming edibles and "other" methods, and greater cannabis frequency, were associated with problem cannabis use.
Findings illustrate patterns of cannabis and other substance use, with important demographic differences. Future research among older adults should include development of targeted interventions to address cannabis use problems and polysubstance use.
50岁以上成年人使用大麻的情况正在增加，但该年龄组中关于特定产品、同时使用情况以及与大麻相关问题的数据尚缺。本研究评估了50岁以上成年人在大麻使用模式、酒精和尼古丁同时使用方面，按选定的人口统计学因素和医用大麻状况划分的差异，以及与问题性大麻使用的关联。
从一个医疗保健系统招募过去30天内使用过大麻的50岁以上成年人，并邀请他们完成一项在线调查。
参与者（n = 367）中43%为女性，平均年龄65.9岁（标准差 = 8.6），主要为白人（67.9%）、夏威夷原住民或太平洋岛民（NHPI；12.3%）或亚洲人（9.3%）。过去30天内大麻使用的平均频率为18.7天（标准差 = 11.5），27%的人报告仅使用非医用大麻。大麻与其他物质同时使用很常见，尤其是与酒精。尽管组间比较显示在年龄、性别和医用大麻状况方面存在一些差异，但种族/族裔方面的差异更大。白人参与者比其他人更有可能拥有州医用大麻卡，仅从医用药房获取大麻，并报告同时使用酒精。NHPI参与者最有可能吸食大麻和使用烟草。与食用大麻制品和“其他”方式相比，吸食大麻以及更高的大麻使用频率与问题性大麻使用相关。
研究结果说明了大麻及其他物质的使用模式，存在重要的人口统计学差异。未来针对老年人的研究应包括制定有针对性的干预措施，以解决大麻使用问题和多物质使用问题。
