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Buying marijuana for aging patients is bringing some families closer as elderly patients have the option of using medical marijuana to alleviate their condition. The growing acceptance of medical marijuana has changed the way older people perceive the use of cannabis.

We have concerns about the law, but I would not go back to not taking the cookie and going through what I went through, a patient said. Of course, if they catch me, I’ll have to quit taking it.

Bryan declined the use of his full name for legal reasons but he agreed to share his story and that of how his parents have come to accept medical marijuana as an option for alleviating their heart ailment, dizzy spells and nausea. While they would have grounded Bryan when he was growing up if they had found out he was using marijuana, they decided to try brownies and ginger snaps laced with marijuana, prepared by their son. At their age they are not concerned that this would lead them to harder drugs, as they used to fear about Bryan.

However, such stories are rare, less than 1% of people aged 65 and over had smoked marijuana during 2009, according to a survey by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. Cannabinoids have shown promise in relieving pain, especially pain that arises from nerve damage. In the U.S. there are two cannabinoid prescription drugs approved for use in order to treat nausea and appetite loss.

Older people may face risks with marijuana due to the secrecy surrounding illegal drug use. Patients do not always admit to their illegal drug use and marijuana can raise heart rates and lower blood pressure.
For some families, marijuana used to be the root of all their fights, but now the drug is bringing them closer.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/us/10pot.html?_r=1