# HOMETOWN HEALTH: U.S. death rates exceed other wealthy nations, study finds – WDBJ7 > **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637) > **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com) > **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/hometown-health-u-s-death-rates-exceed-other-wealthy-nations-study-finds-wdbj7/ > **Published:** 2026-05-12T10:04:52-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-27T21:48:11-04:00 > **Clinical Summary:** Cannabis older adults mortality risk: clinical evidence for symptom management in aging populations facing chronic disease. --- ✦ New CED Clinical Relevance #45 [Clinical Context](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome-treatment-insights-2026/) Background information relevant to the evolving [cannabis medicine](https://cedclinic.com/essential-oils-industrial-hemp-antimicrobial-benefits/) landscape. AgingResearchSafetyPain Dr. Caplan’s Take “What we’re seeing in the mortality data is a population in pain, literally and existentially, and cannabis represents one tool among many that older adults are increasingly turning to for symptom management when conventional options have failed or caused intolerable [side effects](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-intoxication-memory-disruption/). The question isn’t whether they’ll use it, but whether we as physicians are educated enough to guide that use safely and monitor for drug interactions.” Clinical Perspective While this mortality comparison study highlights significant [public health](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-mold-contamination-risks-recall-safety/) disparities between the U.S. and other wealthy nations, the cannabis reference appears tangential to the main findings rather than a primary driver of excess deaths. Clinicians should recognize that [cannabis use](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-cardiovascular-health-insights-2024/) in older adults often reflects attempts at symptom management for pain, anxiety, or sleep disturbance—conditions that may themselves be markers of underlying health inequities—rather than a primary cause of the documented mortality excess. The actual drivers of elevated U.S. death rates are likely multifactorial, including healthcare access disparities, chronic disease burden, and social determinants, which should remain the focus of clinical attention and policy intervention. When older patients disclose [cannabis use](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-cardiovascular-health-insights-2024/), this presents an opportunity to explore their underlying symptoms and access to evidence-based alternatives rather than to attribute mortality trends to the cannabis itself. Clinicians caring for older adults should maintain awareness that substance use patterns often reflect inadequately addressed medical and psychos 💬 Join the Conversation Have a question about how this applies to your situation? [Ask Dr. Caplan →](https://benjamincaplan.com/ask-dr-caplan) Want to discuss this topic with other patients and caregivers? [Join the forum discussion →](https://cedclinic.com/interact/discussion-forums/forum/medical-illness/) Have thoughts on this? 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