How Age Can Affect Personal Cannabis Consumption Habits
I first tried cannabis at the age of 21, when I was a college student. I used recreational cannabis, mostly in the form of flower, fairly regularly—sometimes smoking a joint or two during the week, or using a bong with friends on weekends. A couple of times, I even tried homemade edibles with cannabis buds, made without any real expertise or precise recipe. To this day, I still occasionally use cannabis, turning to it for relaxation, stress relief, mental clarity, and sometimes for therapeutic purposes—such as pain relief, reducing inflammation, or dealing with bouts of insomnia.
Even though I still enjoy cannabis as much as I did 20 years ago, I, like many others with long-term experience, can say that my habits and dosage preferences have changed significantly over the years. My preferred method of consumption, the timing, and even the THC dosage I choose have all shifted as I’ve gotten older.
By the time I turned 40 in early 2020, I noticed these changes and decided to look deeper into how age might influence a person’s cannabis habits and preferences. To better understand this phenomenon, I consulted with qualified experts: Dr. Jordan Tishler, a medical advisor for Jushi Holdings, Inc., and Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, director of the Dent Neurologic Institute, both specializing in the physiological and psychological effects of regular cannabis use.
How Age Influences Preferred Methods and Effective Dosage of Cannabinoids
Up until about age 30, I mostly preferred smoking or vaping cannabis. But as I entered my 30s, I noticed my preferences shifted toward edibles, cannabis-infused drinks, and tinctures with plant extracts. This change may be due not only to age but also to life experience—specifically, developing PTSD after a car accident and the associated trauma. While I still appreciate the quick onset of effects from inhaled cannabis, the strength and duration of the effect have become more important to me for medical reasons.
I also switched from smoking and vaping to gentler consumption methods, partly due to health concerns and increased awareness of the risks of cancer and respiratory diseases. This led me to eliminate all forms of smoking from my life.
After hearing my story, Dr. Tishler explained that my shift in cannabis habits was likely due to a combination of age-related and personal factors. In other words, experience, tolerance, and the emergence of psychological and physiological issues are the main reasons for these changes in preference.
“From my professional experience, I’d say these changes are less about age itself and more about personal factors—specifically, the symptoms you’re experiencing, whether from trauma or age-related changes,” Dr. Tishler noted. “While these changes can be considered ‘age-related,’ they’re actually the result of a complex network of factors, many of which operate subconsciously, making them seem sudden or unexpected.”
Dr. Mechtler agreed, adding, “Given your trauma and subsequent psychological experiences, it’s not surprising that your body subconsciously prefers methods of cannabis use that provide a richer and longer-lasting effect. Your mind and body have shifted to a different modality of cannabis use. Unlike when you were younger, your body now seeks more therapeutic effects rather than just recreational ones, responding better to forms that offer the desired properties and duration.”
He continued, “As you mentioned, while smoking cannabis provides a faster onset, it doesn’t offer the deep and lasting effects that tinctures, edibles, or capsules do. With age-related issues and accumulated trauma and stress, the body responds better to forms of cannabis that last 6–8 hours, compared to the 2–3 hours from smoking or vaping.”
Dr. Tishler also pointed out that conscious factors, like increased health awareness in older adults, play a role in changing preferences. “Although data shows that smoking cannabis doesn’t carry the same cancer risk as tobacco, it’s still wise to avoid consumption methods that produce combustion byproducts. You can never be too careful with these health risks.”
As an oncologist, Dr. Mechtler said he doesn’t recommend smoking or vaping cannabis to his patients due to these concerns. “Any form of smoking or even vaping cannabis can pose risks of respiratory injury and infection, which is especially dangerous in the era of threats like EVALI (seen in the US in 2019) and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”
Changing Preferences for CBD and THC with Age
After moving from Missouri—a state with strict medical cannabis laws—to California, I used mostly CBD-dominant products, such as hemp oils, which are widely available due to their low THC content. In the past two years, I’ve switched to specialized medical cannabis, but I still prefer CBD-dominant products because THC now affects me much more intensely, regardless of the form. I’ve found I get a more pleasant and beneficial effect from products with lower THC ratios.
In my 20s, I could easily smoke several joints or eat an edible with about 20 mg of THC without issue. By my 30s, I noticed those same doses felt much stronger. Does age really affect how we experience cannabinoids, or is this change due to subtle, subconscious shifts related to life experience?
One of the few studies on this topic, published in 2007, suggests that a sharp decrease in THC tolerance may indeed be linked to biological changes in brain chemistry and neural activity as we age. In the study, two groups of rats of different ages were given the same amount of THC in their food. The older rats experienced more nervous stimulation and stress than the younger ones, leading researchers to suggest that a similar pattern might occur in humans.
Currently, I consume about 15–30 mg of CBD daily, which helps me focus and relieves stress, pain, and fatigue. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t cause overstimulation or nervousness, making it easier for me to fall asleep at night.
However, Dr. Tishler noted that this drop in tolerance isn’t necessarily age-related. “In my practice, I haven’t seen such a correlation. In fact, my oldest patients often use the highest average daily doses of THC. Surprisingly, even people who start using cannabis later in life quickly develop a tolerance, especially with regular therapeutic use. So, I’d say your changes in dosage and cannabinoid concentration are more likely due to your personal biochemistry and experience than to age itself.”
He said the same about THC’s effect on chronic conditions like PTSD: “The effective therapeutic dose of THC and CBD varies greatly for each patient. This depends more on individual biochemistry and receptor sensitivity than on age or specific injuries. That’s why cannabis medicine specialists always recommend starting with low doses and gradually increasing them based on the effect, to avoid overdose or side effects.”
Does Age Really Matter for Cannabis Habits?
As mentioned earlier, while age may not have significantly affected my perception of cannabinoids or my cannabis habits, it’s possible that age-related changes could have a bigger impact for others. Still, it’s important to note that consistency in cannabis routines increases the likelihood that your personal habits will remain stable over time.
“I believe that the fewer drastic changes you make to your cannabis consumption routine, the more stable your body’s response to cannabinoids will be,” Dr. Tishler said. “While you can reset physiological tolerance by abstaining or changing your dosage, you can’t fully reset psychological tolerance. That’s why I don’t consider age a significant factor in determining the subjective effects of cannabinoids or consumption habits. If anything affects your cannabis experience, it’s changes in your psychological outlook and body chemistry.”
Original author: Elizabeth Enochs