Poll: Seniors Support Medical Marijuana

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Nearly three-fourths of older Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical use, according to a poll done for the nation's largest advocacy group for seniors.

More than half of those questioned said they believe marijuana has medical benefits, while a larger majority agreed the drug is addictive.

AARP, with 35 million members, says it has no political position on medical marijuana and that its local branches have not chosen sides in the scores of state ballot initiatives on the issue in recent elections.
...
Overall, 72 percent of respondents agreed "adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if a physician recommends it." Those in the Northeast (79 percent) and West (82 percent) were more receptive to the idea than in the Midwest (67 percent) and Southwest (65 percent). In Southern states, 70 percent agreed with the statement.

Though 69 percent of those age 70 and older said they support legal medical marijuana use, less than half agreed it has medical benefits. Seventy percent of respondents age 45-49 said they believe in the medical benefits of pot, as did 59 percent of those in the 50-69 age group.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-medical-marijuana,0,6004543.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[NMDemDist2]

1. old hippies want to smoke their weed in peace ROFL

and it's even better if they can get the HMO or Medicare to pay for it

being an old hippie myself, I can relate :evilgrin:

[underpants]

2. I think a lot seniors resisted using it all these years & now want a try

Hell they have nowhere to go anyway. This could explain the popularity of Matlock (their SpongeBob).

[meganmonkey]

6. Especially since Vioxx and Celebrex and all the other newfangled

pain killers are turning out to kill people! Pot may have a lot of 'side effects', but it certainly doesn't kill you!

[ooglymoogly]

11. and what are these side effects

very mild at worst. no deaths have ever been attributed directly to pot. unlike alcohol literally millions of deaths attributable. cigarettes, literally millions of deaths, to say nothing of the billions of dollars lost in all their ramifications. what is wrong with this picture. pot is not addictive. both alcohol and tobacco are. what is apparently addictive is the propaganda the drug co's put out, that grips our government and the lemmings they control in a vice.

[mcscajun]

3. Today's seniors were yesteryear's "Beatniks"

So that's not much of surprise. :)

[burn the bush]

4. we have medical opiates but please no marijuana, It's too dangerous

my friend has a theory that if all the pot smokers would just throw their seeds out all over the place, that there would be too much pot around for them to stop it.
I don't know if they grow that easily but everyone should become Johhny potseeds.

[William Bloode]

5. Hahahahaha!

That just happens to be my job! Giving away as many high quality marijuana seeds as i possibly can.

What a great job, i can spread the seeds of compassion, and say "phuck" the government all at once :D

[Pastiche423]

7. You give away seeds?

WHERE ARE YOU?

[William Bloode]

9. We are located at....

www.mysticgarden.org

Kinda small and just starting, but is our greatest desire to spread the seeds of compassion.

[Pastiche423]

10. I have registered at your site

Thanks!

[dinmo]

13. thanks for your post

and have just registered look forward to reading

[shanti]

8. 45-49????

wait a minute, that's a SENIOR?? :eyes:

[sled]

14. Not far away

I just got my registration stuff, a few weeks ago. 50 & you're AARP material... Couldn't believe it...if I'd known, I'd live this long, woulda took better care of myself, but it's all good... ;-) Glad to be kickin'...

[Spangle]

12. Cancer

Older people have a higher chance of having cancer or know someone who has had it. Hence, they are more likely to know and understand the side effects of the cancer treatments.

With the high profile busts of the LEGAL use of medical marijuana in CALI, people are LEARNING why CALI made it legal.

[slay]

15. Shows how well the brainwashing has worked. Over half believe weed addicti

ve.

[shanti]

16. some of these old folks

will NEVER think otherwise, either, even with the evidence staring them in the face!

my mother is 72, an RN, and she STILL thinks weed is addictive and BAAAAD. never mind the alcoholism that runs rampant in the family...

[Dragonfly]

17. Your Mom would benefit by talking

to or reading anything from Dr. Lester Grinspoon (think he's 'round 74 now). Doc Grinspoon is emeritus professor from Harvard - either psychiatry or psychology - and written over a dozen books on the medical efficacy of the sacred herb. Just type his name in a search engine and you will get a good view of his learned perspective.

Yes, I'm in Missouri, and see and feel the mindset which still equates marijuana with the "reefer madness" baloney often. However, I have confidence that this wayward take on a major natural antidote to society's ills is turning (slowly) around for the better.

She might want to watch both of the "Cocoon" movies to gain a funny/poignant sci-fi concept of the golden years.

[fshrink]

18. Truth is nobody cares about what they need or think.

Medicare is sold out to the private sector, unlike Medicaid, who covers the kids, and rather well at that. Not for long, I'm afraid.