New research reveals that daily low-dose cannabis use can preserve and enhance working memory in adults over 65. (Working memory is the brain's ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information, like remembering a phone number long enough to dial it or keeping track of multiple steps while cooking.)
Scientists at several institutions found that low-dose cannabis use in seniors produced cognitive benefits rather than impairments. A 2025 study in Psychopharmacology showed that aged rats receiving either cannabis smoke or oral THC demonstrated improved performance on tasks requiring them to remember and update information over short periods. A 2022 study found stronger brain connectivity between memory-related regions in older cannabis users compared to non-users.
The same effect doesn't hold for young people. "Most studies of cannabis use have focused on younger users—for good reason, as the developing or adolescent brain can experience serious negative effects," writes Gary Wenk in Psychology Today. But in older brains, cannabis appears to work differently, potentially by reducing inflammation and stimulating remaining cannabinoid receptors that naturally decline with age.
Between 2015 and 2023, use in adults over 65 jumped from 2.4% to 6.9%, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Many seniors report using it to manage pain with fewer side effects than traditional medications.
Previously:
• Texas' new cannabis laws screw PTSD sufferers. Again.
• Americans use weed more regularly than alcohol: new report on cannabis policy
• Ex-dealer discloses tricks to mail weed without getting caught
