SENIOR STONERS

There is no denying that over the past 60 years, marijuana has become a major part of the American experience. The drug was a cornerstone of the counterculture of the ’60s and ’70s and has since become synonymous with the rebellious spirit of young Americans. But it ain’t just the kids anymore — because many of those kids ain’t kids anymore.

As a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association details, marijuana use among older Americans (those 65 and up) has been steadily increasing over the past decade. The study estimates that between 2015 and 2018, the number of older Americans using marijuana increased by as much as 4.2 percent every year, a growth rate much greater than we’ve ever seen before. These findings were consistent with research conducted by other institutions (including studies by New York University and Harvard), which found that as marijuana became legal in more states, older Americans were more inclined to use it.

So the question isn’tthey are interested in using it.