Baby Boomers & Marijuana: A New Trend

Who would have thought that our Baby Boomer generation would ever embrace the idea of using marijuana for any reason? Well, get ready for a shock because that is exactly what has happened. New studies have shown that senior citizens are the up and coming demographic for marijuana use. What can be causing this surprising new trend? 

It is not that hard to understand, really. The reason is that marijuana has been shown to help people suffering from a variety of ailments, many of which our aging Baby Boomers are now experiencing. There are numerous new ways to get the helpful benefits of marijuana into our systems, which makes it much safer than smoking and safer by far than many of the prescription drugs we have been relying on for years. 

Ease of use is only part of the reason, however. Many of the stigmas we grew up with have been falling away in recent years. You know, weed is for hippies and losers and people should not smoke weed. Now that smoking it is not an issue and doctors actually prescribe it for a variety of health issues, there is less shame attached to using marijuana. 

Yes, shame. We have been warned for decades that marijuana is the gateway drug leading people to think that there could be nothing worse than using it. Add to that the fact that it is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug, a classification that implies it is as bad as heroin and Worse than cocaine and meth. The Baby Boomer generation was raised to believe you would be somehow less worthy if you use marijuana. Of course, there are also very real legal ramifications at the Federal level, despite the many states that have decriminalized it or even made it entirely legal. 

The benefits of marijuana cannot be ignored. In many cancer patients it has been
proven to mitigate the negative effects of the chemotherapy and radiation treatments that are still the main method for treating many types of cancer. It also helps with those patients that experience sleep disorders and loss of appetite, two symptoms generally experienced by some cancer sufferers. Marijuana was being prescribed for cancer patients as far back as thirty years ago, but the country as a whole has been slow to catch up with the idea that marijuana is beneficial at all. 

It is not just good for cancer patients, although that is where the most progress has
been made. There are many ailments with symptoms that can be diminished with
marijuana. People with ulcers can find relief from the attendant nausea by using
marijuana. Gout, anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain are just a few others. The list of ailments that can be mitigated with marijuana is simply staggering, and it is far better for you than many things you are prescribed by your doctor. 

There are dispensaries in many states that are specifically for marijuana and where
various edibles are available. Edibles are one of the best ways to utilize marijuana
without having to smoke it. The packages clearly state how much or how little of the product you should consume for the desired effect and the employees are generally able to answer any questions you may have. Dispensaries have opened many new roads to our Baby Boomer population. 

The advent of secure shops where our senior citizens can get marijuana or products made with marijuana has likely been a huge factor in the number of seniors who seek it. Mostly because buying it from random strangers is never safe, but also because you never really know what you are getting. They can shop for marijuana now in a safe environment and without shame.