Retirement Living With Cannabis

By Andy Asher  

Planned retirement communities in America will never be the same as baby boomers start asking to bring along their marijuana, CBD and even a greenhouse to grow it. Some of the folks who design and build these desirable communities are already planning for it. 

Cannabis Use Study

One leading firm Mosaic Design Studio founded by Lisa Cini completed a study of more than 11-thousand baby boomers and found 83% using cannabis for recreational and medical reasons. Lisa is an aging expert and author of “Boom The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology.” 

“I have to tell you that I was surprised by the survey,” she says. “The boomers just really didn’t care whether somebody found out if they were using cannabis for their health reasons or for recreational use. And that was pretty shocking to me.”

Boomers Want Choice

From an anecdotal standpoint, she says, “boomer friends will tell her that if a retirement community wants to take away their pot, sign in and out, not allow pets, they’re not going into that kind of environment. This is not the silent generation of World War II that marches in step and does what they should do.”

Her study included all 50 states There were over 11,000 responses from all over the boomer age group, and she believes it really speaks for itself. She is conducting the test again and wants to survey gender, which was not included in the first study. 

Don’t Fear Tech

Lisa Cini has another prediction and advice.  Don’t be overwhelmed by technology or about what’s coming down the pike. Pick your lane if you like. If you read books, then read books. If you like to watch movies, watch movies. You don’t have to do everything.  Choose what works for you and then get into it. Keep an open mind  about the possibilities. 

She says, “I didn’t think that I was going to have a phone that acted as a computer five years ago. I didn’t think any of that kind of thing. Don’t be overwhelmed by technology or about what’s coming down the pike. One of the things that I wish boomers would get into more are podcasts. I think they’re fantastic. And it’s an incredible way to learn and discover new things. 

Have the Conversation 

Cini concludes you have to have a conversation about these things. You have to deal with what is going on in your state or country. What’s legal and allowable? What’s smart? Whether it’s CBD or not. I’ve used CBD with my children, with the non THC. My mother now uses it quite a bit. But for me personally, I wouldn’t allow them to have something that got them high. But I think you have to have the conversation and you have to figure out where the rules are and who’s comfortable with what. Because the stigma is very different for each person. And again, whether it is vaping, chewables, the actual joint and the smoke involved in that or CBD, which could be a tincture. It could be drops. It could be a lotion or many other ways to deliver it.  Now is a great opportunity for boomers and everyone to make choices never available before today.  

As Bob Dylan reminded us in the ’60’s, The Times, They Are Changin’ 

Category: Articles