Here's why marijuana use is on the rise among baby boomers, according to a study

According to a new report, previous studies have shown that marijuana use is increasing among young adults, but it is also becoming more prevalent in a group at the other end of the age group.

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Researchers at New York University recently conducted a study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, to explore trends in recreational drug use among baby boomers.

To do this, they used data from the 2015-2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which collected responses on marijuana use in more than 17,000 adults aged 50 and older. . Participants were asked when they used it for the first time and whether they used it in the past year, among other questions.

After analyzing the results, they found that 9% of adults aged 50 to 64 and 2.9% of adults aged 65 and over had used marijuana. In addition, more than half of adults aged 50 to 64 and almost a quarter of adults aged 65 and over reported using cannabis at some point in their lives.

"The baby boomer generation grew during a period of significant cultural change, including an increase in the popularity of marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s. We are now in a new era of attitude change. with marijuana, and as stigma decreases and access improves, it appears that baby boomers, many of whom are already reporting.

Although some of the adults said that a doctor had recommended them to consume marijuana, whose beneficial effects on the treatment of certain diseases have been demonstrated, analysts worry about the correlation between the consumption of marijuana marijuana and other unhealthy substances.

Those who used marijuana were more likely to abuse alcohol, cocaine and prescription drugs.

"Some older adults may be at increased risk of adverse effects associated with marijuana use, particularly if they have certain underlying chronic diseases or if they are also involved in unhealthy substance use", Han added.

The researchers suggest that doctors examine older people who use marijuana for other substances to make sure that patients are aware of the potential risks associated with the use of several medications.

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