A record number of older Britons were hospitalized after smoking cannabis last year amid a rise in “silver smokers”, shocking new figures show.
Proponents of the drug often claim that marijuana is safe because it is “natural.”
However, more than 2,700 adults aged 65 and over (including 9 over 90) were admitted to hospitals in England between April 2023 and March 2024 suffering from adverse reactions or overdoses.
It marks a 56 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels and a staggering 650 percent from a decade ago.
Patients reported experiencing hallucinations, withdrawal symptoms, and even suffering from cannabis intoxication.
In the United Kingdom, laws on the medical use of cannabis were relaxed six years ago.
This has allowed specialist doctors to prescribe medications made from the drug to some patients with epilepsy, or treat vomiting related to cancer treatment and symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the drug has seen a meteoric rise over the past decade, culminating in its legal recreational use in 24 states.
A record number of older Britons were hospitalized after smoking cannabis last year amid a rise in “silver smokers”, shocking new figures show.
According to NHS figures, obtained by the sunAdmissions among older adults included 1,100 patients in their 70s, 110 in their 80s, and nine in their 90s.
Experts partly attributed the increase to older people trying to self-medicate.
The National Alliance for Drug Prevention said, “Many people who were teenagers in the ’60s never gave up or did it again later in life.”
The UK Addiction Treatment Centers group added: “Sadly cannabis is not considered a dangerous drug, but it absolutely can be.”
Other experts have also previously speculated that some older adults may be unaware of the drug’s potency.
The data also showed that 22 babies and children under four years old were admitted for cannabis poisoning.
It is believed that they consumed it accidentally or that they were in the room when the parents were smoking.
In total, more than 57,000 people were admitted for adverse reactions or overdoses.
According to figures obtained by The Sun, admissions among older adults included 1,100 patients in their 70s, 110 in their 80s and nine in their 90s.
But the figure includes those who may have been admitted to the hospital more than once with the same diagnosis.
According to the health service, typical symptoms of a cannabis overdose include paranoia, hallucinations or numbness in the arms and legs.
Separate annual figures from the Office for National Statistics show that cannabis remains the most popular drug among 16-59 year olds in England and Wales.
Last year, consumption was highest among young people aged 20 to 24, according to official figures.
Just over a quarter of all young adults surveyed between April 2023 and March 2024 said they had ever smoked marijuana in their lifetime.
THC, one of the main active components found in marijuana, stimulates areas of the brain involved with mood, attention and memory, while triggering the release of the hormone dopamine, responsible for feelings of reward. and pleasure.
According to studies, small, infrequent doses have little long-term impact.
But with prolonged, regular use, signals in these key areas of the brain can begin to fail.
Studies have shown that frequent cannabis use can increase the risk of serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, as well as insomnia, social anxiety disorder, and suicidal thoughts.
A 2019 study by researchers at Kings College London also found that daily use of high-potency marijuana can increase the risk of psychosis among users five-fold.