Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Seniors are smoking pot for science.
In an ongoing study through the Colorado School of Public Health, researchers Carolyn DiGuiseppi and Ashley Brooks-Russell are investigating how marijuana affects driving and cognitive performance in adults 65 and up.
"There have been more than 100 studies of cannabis effects on driving in younger adults and middle aged adults. Because older adults often have other conditions or medications that could interfere with the study, many studies are designed to exclude them,” said DiGuiseppi.
Seniors are the now fastest growing age demographic for cannabis use in the U.S, with nearly 20% of adults ages 50 to 65 reporting using cannabis. Although marijuana doesn’t affect drivers in the same way as alcohol, it can elevate risk on the road. Forty-five people died in Colorado due to an at-fault driver being impaired by cannabis in 2024, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Read the complete story here: rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/colorado-cannabis-driving-research-older-adults
Produced by Cormac McCrimmon
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Seniors are smoking pot for science.
In an ongoing study through the Colorado School of Public Health, researchers Carolyn DiGuiseppi and Ashley Brooks-Russell are investigating how marijuana affects driving and cognitive performance in adults 65 and up.
"There have been more than 100 studies of cannabis effects on driving in younger adults and middle aged adults. Because older adults often have other conditions or medications that could interfere with the study, many studies are designed to exclude them,” said DiGuiseppi.
Seniors are the now fastest growing age demographic for cannabis use in the U.S, with nearly 20% of adults ages 50 to 65 reporting using cannabis. Although marijuana doesn’t affect drivers in the same way as alcohol, it can elevate risk on the road. Forty-five people died in Colorado due to an at-fault driver being impaired by cannabis in 2024, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Read the complete story here: rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/colorado-cannabis-driving-research-older-adults
Produced by Cormac McCrimmon
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: bit.ly/3zeF6Ch
------------------------------------------------------
Follow Rocky Mountain PBS on our other platforms, too.
• Newsletter: rmpbs.org/newsletters
• Facebook: facebook.com/rmpbs
• Instagram: instagram.com/rmpbs
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-pbs
