Page 9 - BusinessWest February 3, 2025

Golden Age of Cannabis
Use Rising Among Older Adults Locally, Nationally
BY JOSEPH BEDNAR
[email protected]
Senior living facilities like the Arbors have seen residents get together become educated about cannabis products.
Staff Photo
In the six-plus years since cannabis became legal for all adults in Massachu- setts, all demographics have increas-
ingly used the substance in its various forms. A 2024 study published by Statista reported that almost 30% of Massachu- setts residents used cannabis in 2022, the fifth-highest rate of any of the 24 states where it is legal for recreational use.
But one group, while not among the highest-rate cannabis users, has been rap- idly catching up, and that’s seniors.
“We talk about it with our residents,” said Karen Walters-Zucco, executive director of the Arbors Assisted Living in Amherst and Greenfield. “A lot of people are thinking about it for relaxation, for sleep, or just to feel good, mood adjust- ments. Some are using it to lower anxiety, and a lot of folks have been using it for pain relief, for arthritis in their hands and joints.”
That doesn’t surprise cannabis-industry veteran Meg Sanders, CEO of Canna Pro- visions, which has dispensaries in Holyoke and Lee.
“I can tell you that traditional medi-
“A lot of people are thinking about it for relaxation, for sleep, or just to feel good, mood adjustments. Some are using it to lower anxiety, and a lot of folks have been using it for pain relief, for arthritis in their hands and joints.”
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