According to the International Narcotics Control Board, which recently issued its annual report, drug use among older adults is a 'epidemic', and there has been an increase in the misuse of pain relievers, sedatives and tranquilisers. Cannabis actually has relatively much lower harms than alcohol, so I'd be more concerned at the moment that people aged 50 plus are using alcohol, and some are using alcohol a lot." "It said: we know there's a rise in older adults using both legal and illegal drugs, and some of them becoming dependent and needing support. But ... primary healthcare professionals tend not to screen for drug use in older adults - in general we don't assume that older adults don't use drugs. "So, at the first step they're not being seen as drug users, and... if they are, we don't have referral pathways for older adults.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 18, 2021 04:52 UTC