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Why Boomers are Buying Cannabis

Learn why baby boomers are buying cannabis. Find out what products are popular among  baby boomers, and why they’re one of the fasting growing populations of cannabis consumers.

Who Are The Baby Boomers?

The Baby Boomer generation was born between 1946 and 1964, making them anywhere between 56 and 74 years old today. Alive in 1971, when Richard Nixon first declared an official War on Drugs, boomers have lived through a long time of misinformation and negative cannabis propaganda that contributed to the untrue stereotypes and stigmas associated with those who consume cannabis. If you’re a baby boomer, you probably remember being told how bad cannabis is, and why you should stay away from such a dangerous drug that works as a gateway to harder drugs. 

We now know all of this to be untrue, after the scientific discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and more research into the seemingly endless medicinal benefits to cannabis, those stigmas and stereotypes are quickly becoming a thing of the past. The rise of medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, has opened the eyes of many older adults to its therapeutic benefits as a natural medicine. For some patients, cannabis is a great natural alternative to other synthetic pharmaceutical or OTC medications, in treating a variety of symptoms and conditions experienced by boomers and the aging population.

Why Are Boomers Buying So Much Cannabis?

Sometimes getting older comes with a price, and it can often be different health conditions, or symptoms from regular wear and tear on the body as we age. Things like arthritis, diabetes, cancers, vision problems, and even depression are all top health concerns for people over 50. This may seem a little gloomy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Cannabis has luckily shown to help ease the symptoms of many of these conditions, and in some cases, for good. 

Even though cannabis might help, some boomers are still hesitant to try cannabis. Mostly because of their upbringing, and fear of legality since it’s not legal in every state and technically illegal at a federal level. That and the memories of cannabis being demonized in popular movies and television of their time, the stigma may still be strong for some people, but apparently not all.

Cannabis and Baby Boomers Trends

In fact, baby boomers are one of the fastest growing populations of cannabis consumers, and their purchasing behavior has been well documented. According to BDS Analytics, in states with legal cannabis programs, 30% of cannabis consumers are 55 or older. 64% of those are consuming cannabis for medical reasons. A whopping 90% are using it to relive pain, so how are they choosing to consume?

What Cannabis Products Are Baby Boomers Buying?

The top three products being purchased by boomers are cannabis flower or concentrates, edibles, and topicals. Almost half of boomers choose to smoke or vape cannabis flower or concentrate. Edibles make up 31% of sales, and topicals round out another 20%, but boomers are also known to choose several types of consumption. For the boomers who prefer to smoke or vape, 35% also consume edibles, and 16% use topicals too. With boomers buying so many different varieties of cannabis products, and battling the effects of old age, it makes sense that they’re quickly becoming one of the biggest groups of cannabis consumers.

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