Foreword Review by Katerie Prior

Cannabis for Seniors

Beverly A. Potter

Ronin

Softcover $18.95 (200pp)

978-1-57951-242-2

Clarion Rating: 4 out of 5

Cannabis for Seniors is an informative work that presents alternative ways to maintain quality of life.

Beverly Potter explores the ways that aging baby boomers may find relief for what ails them in Cannabis for Seniors.

This quick yet comprehensive guide is designed to educate a possibly ailing senior population on the therapeutic benefits of marijuana. In just over twenty chapters, Potter addresses why cannabis should be considered, as well as how to overcome the stigmas and perceptions that many still have about the plant—which, she points out, is a natural product, as opposed to the plethora of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs on the market. She also discusses how cannabis affects humans and how to use it to treat certain conditions.

Even though medical marijuana is legal in many jurisdictions, it's not easy to write a book on the health benefits of cannabis. After a century where marijuana was misrepresented with melodramas like Reefer Madness and made ridiculous with comedy acts like Cheech and Chong, Potter knows that many people still have reservations about cannabis as a medical treatment. Potter makes a compelling case for the use of cannabis as a therapeutic tool while never being preachy or pushy.

While she presents this perspective armed with credited and sourced information, Potter is largely persuasive because of her friendly, approachable tone. She is easy to understand and stays away from overly medical and scientific jargon, even when tackling subjects like the different types of trichomes on marijuana or the biphasic properties of cannabis.

The book also includes sections on selecting plant strains based on therapeutic properties, ways to cook with cannabis, and how to use the plant as a salve or poultice. By showing the practical uses of cannabis, it reduces the stigma around the plant, making it seem more like an everyday product.

The work is clearly and handily organized. Topics, from the history of cannabis as a therapeutic tool to how cannabis is routed through the bloodstream, are arranged in a logical order, and pictures and illustrations are included.

Brief chapters are chunked into different short topics. This makes the book easy to put down and pick up again, or simple to reference a particular topic. A large font avoids eye strain, and the overall package is appealing.

Cannabis for Seniors is informative work. No matter what condition a person faces at the end of their days, Potter's book shows that there is an alternative to help them maintain a good quality of life.