92-year-old Carinthian woman: Danger to life after making hash cookies from her grandson!

92-year-old Carinthian woman: Danger to life after making hash cookies from her grandson!

A 92-year-old woman from Carinthia was taken to hospital unconscious on Tuesday evening after consuming a hash biscuit. According to oe24, her 54-year-old grandson gave her the cookie, which he had previously received from an unknown person in Klagenfurt's Lendhafen. The elderly woman ate the cookie around 6 p.m., but just three hours later she became unconscious and required rescue to the Klagenfurt Clinic.

The use of cannabis, particularly among older people, has increased in recent years. More and more seniors are turning to cannabis to relieve pain and other complaints. A study shows that among those over 65, the proportion of consumers increased from 4.8% in 2021 to 7% in 2023, notes Tagesschau. Ullrich Ehnert, a former master carpenter, is an example of this development; He uses cannabis to relieve his hip and back pain and reports positive effects.

The risks and challenges of cannabis use in seniors

But consuming cannabis also comes with risks. A US study warns of the possible psychoactive effects of THC, especially in high doses, which could be problematic for older people. The Euda emphasizes the need for health and social services to find appropriate responses to the needs of older people regarding drugs and their use. In many cases, specialists must exhaust other treatment options before cannabis can be prescribed.

However, in Germany, where the use of cannabis in medicine has been legal since 2017, many comprehensive clinical studies on the effects and risks are missing. An accompanying survey by the BfArM from 2022 shows that 76.4% of seniors use cannabis to treat chronic pain. A third of patients discontinue therapy within a year, often due to lack of effect.

Social aspects and the trend towards self-sufficiency

Given the growing demand, some seniors like Ehnert have even formed cannabis social clubs to grow hemp plants for their own use, with a focus on medical use. The BfArM is also recording an increase in imports of medical cannabis, which indicates a keen interest in this form of therapy. This development could also help increase the acceptance of cannabis as a therapeutic agent among the older population.

Overall, the 92-year-old woman's incident shows how important it is to educate people about the use of cannabis, especially among older people. The use of such substances requires a fundamental understanding of both the possible risks and the potential medical benefits in order to optimize the health effects for this age group.