Seniors with COPD using more cannabinoids as U.S. interest ‘skyrockets’

Seniors with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease use prescription synthetic cannabinoids at double the rate of their peers without the condition, according to an analysis of Canadian health data.

While Canadian adults older than age 66 with COPD aren’t major users of synthetic oral cannabinoids, that group — and their physicians — appear to be turning more often to these manufactured compounds to address symptoms, reported lead author Nicholas Vozoris, M.D., a respirologist at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto.

The uptick in use is concerning, he said, because the effects of these drugs on the condition are untested.

“Safety recommendations provided for these medications advise against prescribing cannabinoids in these groups,” said Vozoris. “And yet these individuals with COPD are being exposed at greater rates.”

Meanwhile, interest among U.S. adults in the use of cannabinoids and marijuana for chronic pain has “skyrocketed,” according to a new survey by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. While millenial-age adults are driving the interest, older generations are not far behind — and most are unaware of potential risks, the survey found.

The majority of respondents said they believe cannabinoids and marijuana to be safer than opioids and 57% believe they have fewer side effects than other medications, despite a shortage of research.

The U.S. government has only recently announced that it will spend $3 million to find out whether synthetic versions of marijuana can relieve pain (without the psychoactive compound THC), according to a report by STAT. “The science is lagging behind the public use and interest. We’re doing our best to catch up here,” David Shurtleff, M.D., deputy director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, told the news outlet.

Canadian researcher Vozoris is preaching caution. “We hope that clinicians read our paper and walk away with a better understanding of this drug class,” he said in a statement. “We’d like them to reflect on their own prescribing practices and ensure cannabinoid drugs are used and prescribed with vigilance.”

COPD is a progressive lung disease that causes breathing difficulty. Psychoactive drug classes, like cannabinoids, are prescribed to help reduce pain, promote sleep and decrease difficult-to-control breathlessness.

The COPD study was published in the journal Drugs & Aging.  Results from the ASA cannabinoids survey was released in August.