The Current 18:35 Seniors are using cannabis — and ending up in the ER Many seniors are turning to cannabis for recreational or medicinal use — but a new study suggests some are ending up in the ER with accidental cannabis poisoning. Matt Galloway speaks with Dr. Nathan Stall about how to help seniors reduce the risk and enjoy the benefits.
At 80, Bob McBride uses cannabis both recreationally and to manage what he calls "age-related pain." "I smoke it occasionally and I use gummies," McBride, who's from the Ottawa Valley in southeastern Ontario, told The Current's Matt Galloway. "I do either or both, maybe two or three times a week.
" Having used cannabis for most of his life, McBride says he knows his limit and how to take cannabis safely. "It's enjoyable. It's relaxing.
It stimulates me in conversation. It enhances a lot of the things that I do through the day," he said. "I think of it as a user-friendly drug that I have learned how to use responsibly.
" Seniors, like McBride, are among the fastest-growing age group in Canada for using cannabis. A Statistics Canada report found that more than 400,000 seniors reported using cannabis in the past three months in 2019, up from 40,000 seniors who reported using in 2012. More recent data suggests that trend has continued.
Meanwhile, the number of seniors ending up in emergency departments with cannabis poisoning has also risen sharply since legalization, new research shows. It's led some experts to call for more education and b.
