Boomers get baked at retirement communities amid backlash

Older Americans are among the fastest-growing demographics for marijuana use, as more seniors turn to cannabis for pain management, sleep, or recreational use.

As aging baby boomers enter retirement, cannabis has become increasingly common among older adults. But this growing popularity has also resulted in tensions in retirement communities, where residents have clashed over marijuana use. Some nonsmoker residents have complained about secondhand smoke causing health concerns, including depression, breathing issues, and headaches.

Just like teenagers, some older Americans have expressed that there is social pressure among their peers to participate, fearing mockery for choosing not to use marijuana. According to The New York Times, Joseph Palamar, a professor at NYU Langone Medical Center, said that roughly 10 percent of respondents from a recent study of marijuana use by seniors in New York said they do so to “fit in."

“If Edna is the one that has the gummies, then it might be like, ‘Oh, I want to be cool like Edna. I don’t really want it, I’m scared, but she’s the cool one and I feel like I have to try it now,’” Palamar said.

Cannabis companies are increasingly targeting the growing senior market. The brand Life Is Chill held its Modern Elder Expo in Phoenix last year, where seniors participated in a workshop practicing how to roll joints. The company plans to hold its second expo in October and expects attendance to double. However, the brand also had to halt plans to install a pot kiosk at a gated retirement community in Chandler, Arizona.

“People were freaking out, calling it ‘the devil’s lettuce,’” explained Star Simmons, a Life Is Chill co-founder. 

Regarding how cannabis is consumed, many older people prefer gummies and tinctures. Smoking and vaping are also popular with those who prefer it in a more familiar form.