ABSTRACT
Cannabis—the most widely used psychodelic in the world—is a “natural” psychodelic that is increasingly used in the U.S. by older adults, many of whom began to use cannabis illicitly as teenagers during the 1960s and 1970s. During the first two decades of the new millennium, these and other older adults continued to use cannabis for these desired effects, but also increasingly to manage the anxieties and pains associated with aging. Cannabis use among older adults is currently at an “all-time high.” In order to provide health and social care professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the use of cannabis by older adults, this chapter begins with an overview of cannabis pharmacognosy and the preparation of the three principal forms of cannabis: marijuana, hashish, and hashish oil. This is followed by a critical review of the pharmacology of cannabis and current trends in its medical prescription and illicit or licit recreational use as a result of specific state legislation concerning decriminalization and legalization. The chapter then presents and discusses the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of cannabis dependence or use disorder among older adults and concludes with a summary of common contemporaneous diagnoses involving cannabis dependence or use disorder.
