The elderly are being hospitalized 2700% more for pot problems

Puff, Puff, Pass the medical bill.

New research shows that visits to the emergency room and hospital hospitalization associated with the use of cannabis among older adults have increased nearly 27 times since AUGHTS.

Even more alarming: The study found that the elderly who end up in acute care for weeds related to weeds, has up to 72% more likely to develop dementia than their peers who visited the hospital for other reasons or not at all.

The golden years go green

Although marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, 39 countries and DCs have legalized it for medical use, while 24 countries – plus the capital – allow adults 21 years of age and older to be recreational.

As the green wave wipes the nation, middle -aged and elderly adults are introduced into cannabis craze. A 2024 study found that 21% of people 50 and above used marijuana last year, and 12% say they participate at least every month.

For these adults, cannabis serves for a variety of purposes, including as a sleep aid, pain relieving, mental health support and simply to relax and feel good, according to Michigan University researchers.

Adults blaze their way to the ER

But lighting can whiten the health of your brain.

“Long -term and severe use of cannabis has been associated with memory problems in middle life, along with changes in brain structure associated with dementia,” said Dr. Daniel Myran, co -author of the study and a researcher at the University of Ottawa.

“We tried to appreciate the risk of diagnosing madness in a group of people whose use of cannabis resulted in a visit to the emergency room or requested hospitalization for treatment.”

Myran and his colleagues analyzed the medical records of 6 million adults aged 45 and older in Ontario, Canada, who had no history of dementia when the study began.

Among them, 16,275 people with a history of cannabis use required acute care – or a visit to ER or hospitalization – between 2008 and 2021.

In particular, the team found that the annual adult rate over 45 that require acute care for the first time for the use of cannabis increased more than five times during the study period, increasing from 6.9 per 100,000 to 37.6 per 100,000 in 2021.

The growth was even more dramatic among those 65 and older, with their levels of 0.65 per 100,000 to 2008 to 16.99 for 100,000 to 2021, or TK%

High shares

The study also raised concerns about a possible link between use of cannabis and dementia.

Researchers found that 5% of adults aged 45 and older who sought treatment for cannabis -related issues in acute care were diagnosed with dementia within five years.

In fierce contrast, only 1.3% of the total population and 3.6% of those who seek care for other reasons developed dementia for the same period.

After regulating factors such as age, sex, income and other health conditions, the study found that cannabis users were at a 23% greater risk of being diagnosed with dementia within five years compared to those who required treatment for other reasons.

Even more alarming, cannabis users found that they were 72% more likely to develop dementia than the general population.

But there is one turn: the study also found that the risk of dementia in individuals with acute cannabis use was 31% lower over the next five years compared to those who sought treatment for alcohol -related issues.

Investigation of the Causes of the pot of pot

Researchers are still working to understand how cannabis affects the brain.

“Regular use of cannabis can directly increase the risk of dementia through changes in brain structure,” said Dr. Colleen Webber, co -author of the study and a scientist at the Bruyère Health Research Institute.

“Also also possible that regular cannabis use increases the risk of other established risk factors for dementia, including high blood pressure, head trauma and other damage, and a higher risk of depression and social isolation,” she added.

While the findings of the study are alarming, the authors noticed two main restrictions.

First, while they identified a possible link between heavy cannabis and acute care visits, they did not examine the effects of random use of cannabis that did not require urgent treatment.

Second, the study does not prove that regular or severe use of cannabis causes dementia. Instead, researchers said the findings ask questions that need further exploration.