Trump Administration Gives Free CBD to Thousands of Medicare Patients in Cost-Cutting Experiment
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Trump Administration Gives Free CBD to Thousands of Medicare Patients in Cost-Cutting Experiment
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Thousands of Medicare patients will soon receive free CBD under a Trump administration pilot that pushes cannabis-derived treatment further into mainstream care.
The program is designed to collect real-world evidence on whether CBD improves quality of life and lowers overall health-care spending, while also guiding patients on dosing with doctors.
14.3% of adults 65 and older used CBD products in the past year, according to a 2024 study, typically buying over-the-counter products for pain, anxiety, insomnia and chemo-related nausea.
Doctors have warned that encouraging unapproved supplements in older patients carries risks because CBD can interact with other medications, especially in people with multiple conditions.
The launch extends the administration's broader move to loosen cannabis restrictions, with Trump last month citing one-in-five adults' use of CBD and its reported pain relief.
Could stricter THC limits set for later this year suddenly cut off seniors' access to CBD products under the Medicare program?
If CBD use in this pilot doesn't reduce opioid reliance or healthcare costs, what will happen to the program and future supplement coverage?
With so many unknowns about CBD's long-term effects on older adults, are seniors in this program truly protected—or are they the experiment?