As a 60-year-old senior who has used cannabis for 44 years, Karen Watts Nauman of Comfortably Numb CBD has always believed in the medicinal healing of this plant medicine. However, she admits her fellow senior consumers lack an understanding of the full medicinal benefits of cannabis and hemp.

“My generation just got whatever weed we could get and didn’t know anything about the science.”

After she tried CBD with her husband and they were impressed by how their health improved significantly , they thought, “Our peers need to know about CBD!” That’s when they started Comfortably Numb to educate older adults about how CBD can be an alternative to Big Pharma in treating ailments that impact seniors, such as pain and inflammation, sleep disorders, bone health, and lack of appetite.

In their work, they explain the importance of healing the body’s endocannabinoid system, explaining that there are few ways to better support this system than with CBD. “High on effectiveness and low on side-effects, CBD is a near perfect method of managing symptoms.”

For those looking to introduce their senior family members to CBD, Watts Nauman notes education is key. “Our generation likes studies backed by science.” She suggests focusing on the senior’s specific problems and how CBD can address these concerns. “CBD needs to be looked at like a vitamin that should be taken every day for maximum benefit.” Also, seniors should discuss their CBD use with their doctor to avoid any complications due to other medications they are taking. According to Watts Nauman, the website Project CBD is an excellent resource that resonates well with seniors.

CBD Recommendations for Seniors

Watts Nauman advises starting seniors with a topical hat contains  at least 125mg CBD per ounce of lotion/salve/oil but would then go higher to 250mg CBD per ounce. “If they have arthritis, or are using it for pain, maybe look for products that contain other carrier oils that work well with this particular issue.” She adds that they need to apply it three to four times per day, especially in the beginning.

Also, Watts Nauman suggests this population avoids sweet edibles, like CBD chocolate. “Seniors like sweets and will want to go this method and it is cheaper to try. But as many edibles use isolate, more than likely, they won’t feel anything immediately. Then they will be angry at the money they spent and tell others it doesn’t work.” Soft-gels and CBD teas can be good alternatives, but only if they have a high milligram count and are made using full spectrum CBD.

After seniors experiment with topicals, Watts Nauman recommends an oil tincture or a nasal inhaled delivery system. “These delivery methods are better for bioavailability and feeling the effects faster.” She offers these recommendations for dosing. “Start them with a minimum of 8-12mgs full spectrum or 20-30mg isolate taken in the early evening after a meal. Then stay on this dosage for about three days to determine how it works with their needs. Once they get a feel for their best dosage, then they can go into micro-dosing and using other delivery methods.”