Senior Stoners: Understanding The Relationship Between Cannabis and Older Adults

Grandparents’ Day is the perfect time to celebrate older adults, from the quietly wise to the endlessly adventurous. This loving celebration, which falls on the first Sunday following Labor Day (for 2025, that’s September 7), is also a moment to acknowledge the realities of aging. Growing older can mean aches and pains, sleepless nights, and the search for tools that can make life more comfortable and enjoyable.

Increasingly, cannabis is part of that conversation.

To understand cannabis use in older adults, we spoke with June Johnson, founder of Collective High and The Weed Doula. Johnson partners with The Travel Agency to guide older adults exploring cannabis for the first time and former senior stoners returning after years away. With her expertise, older adults regularly navigate the world of cannabis with confidence, patience, and clarity.

Older adults and the cannabis gap

Older adults are one of the fastest-growing groups of cannabis consumers: Approximately 7% of this age group reported consuming cannabis in 2023. This marks a significant increase from 4.8% in 2021, reflecting a nearly 46% rise over just two years.

Despite growing cannabis use among older adults, this demographic is often underserved in the cannabis market, which primarily targets younger consumers. Many older adults face a steep learning curve: Navigating medical needs, legal considerations, and the generational stigma around cannabis can make dispensaries intimidating.

“They want to know why things help them,” Johnson said. “This demographic has a lot of questions — more so than younger consumers.”

Pain relief and better sleep are top priorities for older adults, and recommendations from friends often guide choices.

“A friend of theirs had recommended some sleep gummies, and they wanted to buy [some] to try them too,” Johnson says of how older adults may first find themselves interested in cannabis.

The “fun senior” demographic

Within the older adult group, Johnson identifies a particularly active subset she calls the “fun seniors.” These are individuals ages 55 to 75 who are still mobile, engaged in community activities, and eager to try new things. These older adults are increasingly looking to cannabis as a tool for health and wellness, but they often feel overlooked in marketing and education.

“[They] feel very overwhelmed when they go into a dispensary and are often greeted by a budtender who’s very young and might or might not have the kind of breadth of experience that can speak to their specific issues,” Johnson said.

This all makes accessible education, clear guidance, and a personalized approach crucial.

Cannabis products that older adults prefer

While younger consumers often go for recreational fun, older adults are usually looking for ways to unwind and feel good. THC lotion and low-dose edibles, including gummies, are popular picks. They’re also products that let their consumers start slow and adjust as they go, making exploring easier.

“The mantra is start low, go slow,” Johnson said. “Seniors are coming back into it or trying it for the first time, and no one wants them to be overwhelmed.”

Smoking or vaping may be off-putting for some, but alternatives like tinctures or beverages may be more approachable for older adults. Johnson added that some products can serve as stepping stones. For example, starting with topicals for pain relief may lead to trying sleep gummies or other low-intensity options, depending on the person’s comfort and goals.

Education and support

Education is at the heart of helping longtime or aspiring senior stoners feel confident. Many older adults prefer phone calls or in-person guidance over apps or self-service tools.

“They tend to want to call into a place to get help,” Johnson said.

Budtenders and educators who understand older adults’ needs make a big difference. Family members can also play a role, but only through conversation and consent.

“Please don’t slip cannabis into someone’s tea,” Johnson emphasized. “It’s discombobulating to be on something and not know why your body is reacting that way.”

Instead, talk with older adults, ask what they’re curious about, and support them at their own pace. Start small, go slow, and check in along the way. Little steps like these make exploring cannabis an informed experience that’s often tons of fun.

Changing perceptions

For many older adults, decades of stigma around cannabis are a real barrier. Growing up with “Reefer Madness” warnings or cultural prohibitions, many were wary of cannabis as adults. But attitudes are shifting. With thoughtful guidance and clear information, older adults are discovering that cannabis can be a manageable and helpful part of their routines.

Johnson’s work highlights this balance. By combining patient education with a curated approach to products, she helps older adults explore cannabis confidently, whether for sleep, pain relief, relaxation, or mild recreational enjoyment.

“Even if they don’t choose to consume it, they feel more empowered through education,” Johnson said.

Older adults and their families can also explore The Travel Agency’s blog, which includes educational resources and guides, to get answers, learn at their own pace, and feel supported every step of the way.

Grandparents’ Day and beyond

This Grandparents’ Day, consider cannabis as part of the conversation — not as a gimmick, but as a wellness option for older adults who are curious or seeking relief. Whether it’s a topical for arthritis, a gummy for sleep, or simply an opportunity to learn more, older adults are showing that cannabis can be integrated thoughtfully into their lives.

Through our partnerships with experts like June Johnson, The Travel Agency makes exploring cannabis approachable and stigma-free. Through our curated product selections, education, and personalized one-on-one guidance, older adults and their families can feel confident finding options that work for them. Whether you’re new to cannabis or revisiting it after years away, this Grandparents’ Day is a perfect time to start the conversation.