"Geezer" Drug Use to Have Ripple Effect

With health care now one of America's most controversial topics, the increase in substance abuse among aging baby boomers and the treatment needed to help them cope is sure to fall on an already overtaxed system.

According to a new study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the need for substance abuse treatment among Americans over age 50 is expected to double by 2020.

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"This new data has profound implications for the health and well-being of older adults who continue to abuse substances," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. "These findings highlight the need for prevention programs for all ages as well as to establish improved screening and appropriate referral to treatment as part of routine health care services."

While substance abuse at any age can cause a negative ripple affect to one's health and social well-being, it's the age-related physiological and social changes that make older adults more vulnerable to the harmful effect of illicit drugs use.

Facts from the latest SAMHSA report include:

• An estimated 4.3 million adults aged 50 or older (4.7 percent) used an illicit drug in the last year.

• 8.5 percent of men aged 50 to 54 had used marijuana in the last year (as opposed to only 3.9 percent of women in this age group).

• Marijuana use was more common than non-medical use of prescription drugs among males 50 and older, (4.2 vs. 2.3 percent), but among females the rates of marijuana use and non-medical use of prescription drugs were similar (1.7 and 1.9 percent).

• Although marijuana use was more common than non-medical use of prescription drugs for adults age 50 to 59, among those aged 65 and older, nonmedical use of prescription drugs was more common than marijuana use.

[rsteeb]

I got yer "geezers" right here:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7171423

Keeping Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is *MURDEROUSLY STUPID*.

[It has controlled this glaucoma patient's asthma for over forty years.]

-Richard Steeb, San Jose California

ANY questions?
http://*******.com/Tashkin
http://*******.com/Henningfield-Benowitz
http://www.breakthematrix.com/Alternatives/Top-10-Cannabis-Studies-the-Government-Wished-it-Had-Never-Funded

http://angeljustice.org/article.php?id=200

[jd2408]

How in the world do they come up with these insane numbers and predictions. I just bet this is a government, taxpayer funded study ! Nothing else could explain why it is so dumb.

[MatterofLiberty]

So here is the real question: Is ANY use of Cannabis (since this story seems a little ganja-centric) considered ABUSE??? Is some old guy that smokes 8 joints-worth of Cannabis a month considered a full-blown addict? Why or why not? And if not then shouldn't we be opening a hand to those who do become addicted to help them stop their behavior instead of holding a gun to their head to do so?

[Gumshrud]

this whole store sounds bogus to me. All Drugs are so very much money driven. Cannabis a non-toxic substance and a preferred medicine by millions over synthetic chemicals. In fact, recently science has found the active compound called cannabidiol, CBD, non-psychoactive--DOES NOT GET YOU HIGH,
but provides most the the beneficial properties. Why not extract just CBD and have it available for Doctors to prescribe in pill form, 2mg,5mg, 10mg and 25mg tablets. Now thats an idea ahead of it's time.

[earthling76]

Pharmaceutical companies are not motivated to produce these types medicines because they cannot patent the plant itself. No patent means any other company can come along afterwards and simply copy the work done by the original producer. Thats not profitable enough for them. Plus if it were to become too expensive for people to afford they would grow their own medicine or rely on the black markets. We do not need to be forced to rely on either the pharmaceutical corporations or the illegal drug market when we could just simply cut both of them out and legalize, regulate, and tax like alcohol, tobacco, or over-the-counter medicines. Besides, the pills that have been produced which usually have only one compound (THC) have not been shown to be effective in most individuals. This is probably because there is over 60 cannabinoids in cannabis that act in concert and produce the effects desired to impact various health issues. Science has not yet discovered how or which combinations of cannabinoids work together to relieve certain illnesses. This is mostly because of its schedule one status. No entity or organization can study cannabis without the consent of the federal government and as you might have guessed they are not handing out permission slips to anyone other than a few places. I believe the University of Mississippi is one but I might be mistaken. They also control the information concerning the research to do with what they please. And since they are in love with the drug war economy, not many representatives will willingly switch positions on the subject of cannabis prohibition without some convincing from us come election time. If the research contradicts the propaganda the government uses to justify the illegal status of cannabis then it's not motivated to release the information to the public. There are a lot of powerful people and corporations profiting from the war on drugs at our expense. A lot of dirty little fingers in a lot of pies.

[earthling76]

The gateway theory is completely false and was introduced by drug warriors who benefit from the status quo. Cannabis does not lead to harder drugs. Lying to children and young adults about the terribly addictive qualities of cannabis is what leads people to harder drugs. When you use lies to incite fear in order to keep people from trying cannabis even once and then they try it they quickly begin to question any information that has been spoon fed to them by their previously trusted authorities. Young people arrive at thought provoked questions like, "Well if they lied to me about pot then what else have they lied to me about? I wonder what cocaine is really like? Or crystal meth? Or heroine?" Then there is the fact that drug dealers are in business to make a lot of money very quickly. Yes, large, organized cartels make the majority of their profits from cannabis but street dealers can see more profits if they deal in the harder stuff. So it benefits them to introduce their cannabis clients to the hard drugs. What once was a strict consumer of only cannabis who probably knew of several other sources they could rely on to acquire their preferred recreational substance has been transformed into a loyal and possibly long term, addicted customer of hard drugs. The lies perpetuated by the drug warriors have given the unethical, profit motivated dealers the perfect tool in which too bring new clients through the showroom doors of the hard drug market. These are the facts that can be observed by anyone who chooses to examine this issue through open eyes instead of by the regurgitated dogma of the drug war. A drug war that has failed at controlling drug use at our expense and swelled the profit margins of privatized prison corporations as well as the budgets for the now militarized law enforcement entities tasked with waging war on the American public.

[Mokkie57]

"An acre of the best ground for hemp, is to be selected and sewn in hemp and be kept for a permanent hemp patch." - Thomas Jefferson's Garden book 1849

"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country."
- Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President quote on Hemp

"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere."
- George Washington, U.S. President quote on Hemp

[LLLou09]

SO SOME MORON AT SAMHSA PUTS TOGETHER A P.O.S. STUDY THAT PERPETUATES THE FEDS LIES, THE MEDIA MORONS DUTIFULLY PRINT THE P.O.S. STORY,AND THEN THE AMERICAN VOICE OF REASON COMMENTS . IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD A CLUE THEY WOULD SPEND MORE TIME LISTENING TO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE,,,,,THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THEIR SALARIES.
I AM 65 YEARS NOW,AND I SMOKE,VAPEORIZE OR EAT CANNABIS EVERY DAY,AS I WATCH MY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES GET ALL MANNER OF DEBILITATING ILLNESS'S AND DIE OFF. I DO NOT WANT OR NEED MY GOVERNMENT TELLING ME THAT I NEED THEIR HELP, A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS NO SCRUPLES ABOUT GETTING TAX DOLLARS FROM THE LIKES OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL IS IN NO POSITION TO GIVE ME ADVISE ON MY HEALTH CARE....DECRIMINALIZE NOW.

[reveal4]

Geezers are post retirement folks and younger folks who are geezed off about something all the time. Grumpy geezers are the tea party folks and right wingers who are always honked off about something or other. Medical marijuana would be the perfect prescription for the grumpy geezer crowd.

[reveal4]

Geezerville is post retirement, whippersnapper!

[dragon8me]

8.5 %? No it's more like 25% or more, there just not telling the government, nor are they getting treatment unless forced to by the court.