Side Effects of Cannabis in Elders

Older individuals are getting serious side effects from cannabis usage. Canadian doctors suggest there are only four situations in which cannabis is beneficial. Chronic nerve pain, palliative pain, emesis due to chemotherapy and multiple sclerosis are some of the factors for which cannabis is essential.

Cannabis might also be beneficial for chronic pain, PTSD, anxiety and insomnia in some people. Scientists conducted a study on three thousand senior citizens. They suggested cannabis use alleviated the use of pharmaceutical drugs, including opioids. Although this is a positive fact, the side effects resulting from its use in senior citizens are serious.

The study appears in the European Journal of Internal Medicine.

Cannabis can aggravate mental issues in elderly

Cannabis usage has an association with mental disorders like schizophrenia and psychosis in some consumers. Elderly should be aware of the symptoms.

Cannabis use has also an association with major depressive disorder and bipolar personality disorder. Cannabis is advantageous for patients with anxiety. However, the result is quite opposite in some patients.

Senior individuals are already at risk of these diseases. Usage of cannabis on a frequent basis can elevate this risk to a dangerous level.

How should elderly consume cannabis?

Elderly having lung diseases or conditions should not smoke cannabis. The same recommendation goes for the people who are trying to lose weight. This is because the post-usage craving can lead to undesirable effects.

With the use of cannabis, there is an elevation in the heart rate and blood pressure. This forces the heart to pump the blood harder. On smoking cannabis, the potential of the blood to circulate enough oxygen to all over the body including heart decreases significantly.

Therefore, using cannabis oil is a safe alternative among senior individuals. They can prevent themselves from such diseases and can better regulate the dosage.

Cannabis oils show lesser absorption rates in comparison to smoking cannabis. This may encourage some individuals to take more than necessary dose to get desired effects.

The federal government has shown green light to cannabis edibles and beverages until recently.

Drug interaction and cannabis

The arising issue is the quantity of the psycho active compound THC in the edibles that makes people high. Negative drug interaction can take place on use of cannabis with some medications. These medications include hypertensive pills, antidepressants, antibiotics and heart burn medicines.

On the other side, the cannabidiol compound can slow down the metabolism of some medications. This can result in an elevated potency which can be harmful for some patients.

With more legalization of cannabis, there is room building for more extensive research in the field. This can help scientists establish safe guidelines and frameworks. For now, consumers find themselves enjoying the emerging product in the market for medical and recreational purposes.

However, there is a need to consult a physician before using cannabis medicinally to be on the safe side. Although cannabis can be beneficial for a number of diseases, interaction with certain drugs and conditions can be harmful. Especially, senior individuals must be specific about the dosage and the type of consumption method of the substance.

Megan Stevens

Recent Posts

5 Non-Sedating Purple Cannabis Strains To Try In Quarantine

Purple strains are a common favorite owing to their refreshing smell and great taste, with…

13 hours ago

Accurate Labels: Federal Agency Launches Cannabis Testing Program

On Tuesday, a federal science agency came forward to declare the launch of a cannabis…

14 hours ago

Airborne Coronavirus is Infectious, Scientists Say

Previously, it was believed that coronavirus can only spread through microdroplets released during a cough…

24 hours ago

FDA: Cannabis Related Research Is A Go, CBD To Wait

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a draft to encourage cannabis-related…

1 day ago

High Potency Strains of Cannabis can Increase Chances of Anxiety, Research Shows

Cannabis is one of the most used drugs worldwide. Recent studies have shown that consuming…

2 days ago

Support Cannabis: Kanye West Smokes Marijuana Before His First Presidential Campaign

The famous black American rapper Kanye West smoked marijuana a day before his first presidential…

3 days ago