You may be surprised at the news that more senior citizens are using marijuana than ever before. However, once you know about the incredible healing powers of cannabis, it makes perfect sense. The first Louisiana dispensaries opened their doors in May of 2019, finally allowing those with a medical card to get legal, natural relief.
Hundreds of medical conditions can be treated with cannabis. Many senior citizens find that cannabis helps them to return to a quality of life that they never thought they’d have again. Medical marijuana can help treat chronic pain, increase appetite, provide a better quality of sleep, and can help patients who suffer from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and many more conditions known to affect older Americans.
Medical marijuana use among seniors jumped 75 percent from 2015 to 2018, and has risen steadily in the years since. Senior citizens deserve to live full, abundant lives and are discovering cannabis allows them to get more out of every day. Let’s examine some of the reasons senior citizens are getting their medical cards:
The Stigma Associated With Marijuana Use Is Fading
For several decades, the public perception has been that those who consume cannabis are lazy, lack ambition, unintelligent, and have a bad case of the munchies. Now that legislation is making medical marijuana legal in states across the U.S., the public is starting to realize the truth - that the stoner stereotype simply isn’t accurate.
These days, we are fully aware that cannabis is an effective tool for increasing your overall well being. Professional athletes are endorsing cannabis, inspiring others to incorporate marijuana into their workout routines. Medical marijuana is helpful for enhancing creativity, problem-solving, and can aid in reducing anxiety and increasing focus. One of the most effective ways that patients are using marijuana to regain their daily quality of life is to treat chronic pain.
Marijuana Is Legal
Legalization is particularly important, especially for older Americans. I can’t imagine my grandmother calling up her dealer to score an eighth to help with her chronic pain. Like most senior citizens, if something is against the law, she wants nothing to do with it.
Now that cannabis isn’t an illicit substance that has to be purchased on the black market with the risk of jail time, people are free to safely access cannabis. Marijuana is regulated by the state, so seniors can relax and know that they are getting safe medicine that has met quality assurance standards.
Cannabis Can Treat Chronic Pain
A study recently conducted by the University of California at San Diego discovered three-fifths of senior marijuana patients reported using cannabis for the first time as older adults. This is far from surprising when you take into account the amount of senior citizens who live in chronic pain.
As we mentioned before, marijuana can be a very effective pain reliever that can get seniors up and moving again. Many conditions faced by older citizens can cause a level of pain that leaves them either homebound or with limited mobility. When seniors discover that cannabis can give them a better quality of life that might let them return to the activities they love, they are often more open to the idea of trying medical marijuana.
According to Dr. Peter Grinspoon of the Harvard Medical School blog, cannabis is “quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age.”
Dr. Grinspoon goes on to mention that cannabis has been known to decrease tremors in Parkinson’s patients, treat fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, endometriosis, pain associated with HIV, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and “most other conditions where the final common pathway is chronic pain.”
Medical Marijuana Can Be an Effective Alternative to Opioids
The opioid epidemic has left many seeking alternative methods to treat chronic pain. Many cannabis patients are using marijuana as a way to reduce their dependence on opioids and other prescription medications that are both dangerous and expensive.
Opioids are also known to have a sedative effect. Those who replace opioids with cannabis often find they are able to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it or disengaged.
Cannabis Can Treat Anxiety and Depression
One in four older adults have reported symptoms of anxiety and depression amid the coronavirus pandemic. These conditions can severely hinder the daily lives of those who suffer from them. The good news is that cannabis is known to be an effective tool to increase your sense of well-being and reduce anxiety.
You Can Receive the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Without Smoking
If you are interested in the healing benefits of cannabis but don’t want to smoke, you should know there are several options for getting relief that don’t involve smoking. While smoking is definitely a viable option, and the most popular one, there are several smoke-free options to choose from.
Louisiana dispensaries have a wide variety of medical marijuana products such as vapes, edibles, tinctures, and even cannabis topicals. We suggest speaking with a doctor who specializes in medical marijuana treatments about your own preferences and what you would like to get out of your experience with medicinal cannabis. Bring those recommendations with you when you visit your local dispensary.
Seniors Still Have a Lot of Living to Do
Senior citizens deserve to live a life of abundance. Cannabis may be the key to giving seniors a better quality of life. Medical marijuana can be used to treat chronic pain, insomnia, and to combat depression and PTSD and a myriad of conditions that often hold older Americans back.
You’re Never Too Old for Relief
If you are ready to see if the natural relief that cannabis provides can help improve the quality of your daily life, you’ll need your Louisiana medical marijuana card. If you don’t have your card yet, we can help you with that.
Reserve an evaluation online today, and we’ll make an appointment for you with one of our knowledgeable, compassionate doctors to see if you qualify for your medical card. Not only will you discuss your condition and options during a virtual appointment in the safety of your own home, but if you reserve an appointment online today, you’ll also save $25 off the cost of the appointment!
We’ll even refund the total appointment cost if you and your doctor conclude that medical marijuana isn’t right for you. You have nothing to lose, and a world of potential health benefits to gain!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Louisiana Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (833) 253-2943, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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