Whatever you called it, you can’t deny baby boomers were all over it. It was our drug of choice back then and you’d be lying if you said you never even tried it once. Okay, maybe a tiny minority of boomers never lit up.
Back then you had to put a towel under the door so that your parents, dorm mates, or your neighbors would not know you were inside getting high.
Contrast that with what’s happening now. More Americans aged 65 and older are using cannabis (so that’s what it really is!) than ever before. It increased 46 percent between 2021 and 2023, so you can assume it’s still increasing in 2026.
Boomers are rediscovering cannabis in retirement and women and wealthy boomers in particular are a big portion of that renewed interest. Why not you say? It’s legal so the risk factor is gone. No one is going to break down the door and toss you in jail. Then there’s the analgesic effect. Aches, pains, and sleep issues often plague the over-65 population and many boomers are convinced that weed/gummies can help.
For those of us boomers who have difficulty remembering what we ate for breakfast or the name of that speckled bird that comes to the feeder every morning, the other draw of the ganja is that it can help with memory function. The THC component of weed has been shown to enhance neural communication between the cerebellum and hippocampus.
In other words, boomers with pain, sleep and memory issues may find there really is some therapeutic value to pot, but there needs to be more research on the potential negative effects.
One way to look at it is that you survived cannabis use in the first go around in your twenties, so if it can help you remember where you’re hiding your stash in your eighties, go for it. And you don’t have to hide it anymore or put a towel under the door (unless you have neighbors adjacent).
Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. His most recent mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.
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