Nursing homes can be sanctuaries for those who need them. Whether it is assisted living or around-the-clock care, elders receive help with everyday tasks such as eating, exercising, socializing, and taking medication.

But what about those seniors whose medication includes cannabis? While the exact numbers are hard to pin down, surveys show that cannabis use among seniors is steadily on the rise. For example, between 2006 and 2013, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that the rate of cannabis use in persons 65 and older has risen by 250%.

It makes sense considering the plethora of ailments that cannabis can address. Why wouldn’t such a healing plant find popularity among those with higher rates of chronic pain, cancers, glaucoma, and other cannabis-benefited issues?

With legalization steadily growing and over half the states in the nation having some sort of medical cannabis program, it seems obvious that nursing homes would find ways to incorporate medical cannabis into a resident’s routine, offering them a better quality of life. However, such is not the case.

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