Seniors flocking to pot has elevated the average age of Canadian cannabis consumers by nearly a decade, jumping from 29.4 in 2004 to 38.1 in 2019.

Medical experts and researchers say the loosening of restrictions around cannabis and improved consumer education, leading to a reduction in stigma, are some of the forces leading seniors to try weed.

For many, cannabis has also become an effective therapy in addressing issues of neuropathic pain, arthritis and anxiety.

“Medical cannabis is increasingly viewed as an effective option for managing insomnia and chronic pain,” Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote in a blog for Harvard Medical School earlier this year.

Dr. Grinspoon points to the endorsement of medical cannabis by the American Association of Retired Persons, which has 38 million members, as an example of how times are changing. But he also cautions curious seniors to speak with their physicians before lighting up to be aware of any potential complications between cannabis and other medications they may be taking.

“Cannabis has about 600 chemicals in it, and in theory, the two main active ingredients in cannabis, THC and CBD, could either increase or decrease the blood levels of other drugs you are taking, by affecting the enzymes in your liver that help metabolize your medications,” he writes.

“Educate yourself (and your doctor) as much as possible about cannabis before starting to use it,” he advises.