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Long-term effects of cannabis on aging and age-related issues
A unique study evaluated the impact of long-term cannabis use on biological aging and social, financial and health preparedness for old life.
Cannabis has become legalized in many countries around the world. Easy access to it raises a question: Are there long-term consequences of cannabis use? Available evidence suggests that prolonged use of cannabis is associated with poorer functioning in several areas, such as cognitive, financial, and social functioning, support of healthy aging, and longevity. It leads to the hypothesis that people using cannabis long-term might be less prepared for the demands of old age. So far, only a handful of studies have evaluated cannabis users beyond their young adulthood. Therefore, Madeline H. Meier conducted extensive research on long-term cannabis users.
A study evaluated the long-term impact of cannabis
In this paper published in Lancet Healthy Longevity, Madeline H. Meier’s team tested if long-term cannabis users show accelerated biological aging in midlife and poorer health, financial, and social preparedness for old age. Participants of the study were a cohort of 1037 individuals from New Zealand, followed to the age of 45 years. Meier assessed cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use and dependence at ages 18, 21, 26, 32, 38, and 45 years. Biological aging and health, social and financial preparedness for old age were estimated at the age of 45 years. Long-term cannabis users were compared with five different groups:
- lifelong cannabis non-users
- long-term tobacco users
- long-term alcohol users
- midlife recreational cannabis users
- cannabis quitters
Results of the study
Long-term cannabis users presented statistically significant accelerated biological aging. They were also less prepared to manage later-life health, financial, and social demands than non-users. Long-term tobacco or alcohol users showed similar results. The study suggested that cannabis associations of long-term cannabis users were not linked to socioeconomic origins, childhood IQ, childhood self-control, or family substance-dependence history. Long-term cannabis users also tended to polysubstance dependence, which impacted the accelerated biological aging and poor financial and health preparedness but not their poor social preparedness.
The real challenge to healthy aging
Long-term cannabis use seems to be the culprit, but the real challenge to healthy aging is not the use of any specific substance but rather the long-term use of multiple substances, which many users pursue. Holistic midlife interventions for long-term cannabis users are needed to support them in building their health, financial, and social capital and help sustain them through later life. Quitting cannabis may help with this goal. Efforts are also needed to provide the same help for long-term tobacco and alcohol users.
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Cannabis has become legalized in many countries around the world. Easy access to it raises a question: Are there long-term consequences of cannabis use? Available evidence suggests that prolonged use of cannabis is associated with poorer functioning in several areas, such as cognitive, financial, and social functioning, support of healthy aging, and longevity. It leads to the hypothesis that people using cannabis long-term might be less prepared for the demands of old age. So far, only a handful of studies have evaluated cannabis users beyond their young adulthood. Therefore, Madeline H. Meier conducted extensive research on long-term cannabis users.
A study evaluated the long-term impact of cannabis
In this paper published in Lancet Healthy Longevity, Madeline H. Meier’s team tested if long-term cannabis users show accelerated biological aging in midlife and poorer health, financial, and social preparedness for old age. Participants of the study were a cohort of 1037 individuals from New Zealand, followed to the age of 45 years. Meier assessed cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use and dependence at ages 18, 21, 26, 32, 38, and 45 years. Biological aging and health, social and financial preparedness for old age were estimated at the age of 45 years. Long-term cannabis users were compared with five different groups:
- lifelong cannabis non-users
- long-term tobacco users
- long-term alcohol users
- midlife recreational cannabis users
- cannabis quitters
Results of the study
Long-term cannabis users presented statistically significant accelerated biological aging. They were also less prepared to manage later-life health, financial, and social demands than non-users. Long-term tobacco or alcohol users showed similar results. The study suggested that cannabis associations of long-term cannabis users were not linked to socioeconomic origins, childhood IQ, childhood self-control, or family substance-dependence history. Long-term cannabis users also tended to polysubstance dependence, which impacted the accelerated biological aging and poor financial and health preparedness but not their poor social preparedness.
The real challenge to healthy aging
Long-term cannabis use seems to be the culprit, but the real challenge to healthy aging is not the use of any specific substance but rather the long-term use of multiple substances, which many users pursue. Holistic midlife interventions for long-term cannabis users are needed to support them in building their health, financial, and social capital and help sustain them through later life. Quitting cannabis may help with this goal. Efforts are also needed to provide the same help for long-term tobacco and alcohol users.
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Dr. Ana Baroni MD. Ph.D.
Scientific & Medical Advisor
Quality Garant
Ana has over 20 years of consultancy experience in longevity, regenerative and precision medicine. She has a multifaceted understanding of genomics, molecular biology, clinical biochemistry, nutrition, aging markers, hormones and physical training. This background allows her to bridge the gap between longevity basic sciences and evidence-based real interventions, putting them into the clinic, to enhance the healthy aging of people. She is co-founder of Origen.life, and Longevityzone. Board member at Breath of Health, BioOx and American Board of Clinical Nutrition. She is Director of International Medical Education of the American College of Integrative Medicine, Professor in IL3 Master of Longevity at Barcelona University and Professor of Nutrigenomics in Nutrition Grade in UNIR University.
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