Why Are Baby Boomers Turning to Drugs?

Many people associate drug taking with reckless teens and young adults – but a new at-risk group of drug users has emerged – the middle-aged.

It has been called the “silent epidemic” because it developed relatively unnoticed – but in Australia, as well as the US and UK, baby boomers have been turning to drugs in unprecedented numbers. The rise is surprising and unanticipated because the middle-aged were not previously considered to be significantly drawn to illicit drug use.

One US survey found that while drug use amongst teens – the age bracket that often draws the most concern and criticism regarding drug use – decreased, it had actually increased for those aged between 45 and 64. The US National Institutes of Health survey found that those in their fifties were more than twice as likely to admit to using illegal drugs, or illegally using prescription drugs, than one decade ago.

And an Australian study found that the largest increase in illicit use of drugs in recent years has been in the 50+ age group. Cannabis is the most popular drug, and this goes hand-in-hand with the finding that support for cannabis legalisation in Australia is growing fastest in older demographics. Some older Australians are turning to cannabis for pain relief, as there is increasing recognition about the benefits of the drug.

But while cannabis may not expose users to the same amount of potential harm as some other drugs like ‘ice’, the possession of cannabis still leaves users open to drug possession charges.

So why are so many baby boomers returning to drugs, decades after they kicked the habit? The struggles associated with aging, such as feeling alone or isolated, may tempt older users who have never forgotten the ‘high’ that drugs gave them in their youth. Mid-life issues have also drawn baby boomers who did not previously take drugs.

Many older people have also turned to drugs that are considered to be more dangerous than cannabis; including synthetic cannabis. Some drugs can have increased health risks for older users, whose metabolisms cannot process drugs as efficiently as younger people. The ageing process also changes how a person’s brain and body handles drugs, and older users can suffer greater adverse reactions than younger people.

In the US, emergency rooms have seen a significant increase in drug users over the age of 55 who had ingested cocaine, heroin and even cannabis. And higher use has also led to a spike in arrests for drug offences.

Rehabilitation:

Many older people are too embarrassed to get help, afraid they will be looked down upon and stigmatised by the medical profession.

The needs of older people are often dramatically different to younger users, particularly when it comes to health issues that are specific to old age. Because misuse of drugs is so often characterised as a youth problem, a lot of rehabilitation has been geared towards helping younger users.

While this is gradually being recognised and corrected, with some rehabilitation centres catering exclusively for baby boomers, the misconception that drug addiction is a young persons problem still prevails.

If drug use is getting the best of you, there are many treatment centres that can assist you to get back on the right path, whatever your age. Many of those centres offer outpatient care so that there is minimal disruption to your life, and you certainly don’t have to be facing drug charges to get help. If you’d like more information, a professional drug lawyer can certainly steer you in the right direction.