Housing Instability Was Linked to Higher Substance Use Among Older Cannabis Users in New York City | Research

The takeaway

Among adults over 50 with a history of cannabis use living in New York City retirement communities, those worried about paying rent had worse health and higher rates of tobacco and other substance use.

Geriatric healthcare providers, aging-in-place program designers, social workers, and researchers studying substance use in older adults.

What the researchers found

Housing instability indicators — particularly concerns about paying rent/mortgage — were associated with worse self-reported health, higher tobacco use, and higher other substance use among older adults with cannabis use history. Frequent moves were associated with poorer health and alcohol-cannabis co-use.

Why it matters

As cities become more expensive and the population ages, understanding how financial stress affects substance use patterns among older adults — including cannabis users — is important for designing support services in aging communities.

The numbers in context

Adults over 50 in NYC NORCs with cannabis use history. Housing instability measured by rent/mortgage payment concerns and number of moves in 5 years. Significant associations found with worse health, tobacco use, and other substance use.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional study of adults over 50 with a history of cannabis use living in naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) in New York City. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression models examined relationships between housing instability indicators and health/substance use outcomes.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional design — cannot determine causation. Specific to NYC NORC residents with cannabis history, limiting generalizability. Self-reported measures. Cannot determine whether housing stress drives substance use or vice versa.

How to read the evidence

Cross-sectional design with logistic regression analysis, but limited to a specific NYC population with cannabis use history.

When this study was published

Published 2025.

The bigger picture

This study highlights the intersection of aging, housing affordability, and substance use. For older cannabis users, financial stress may compound substance use risks, suggesting that aging-in-place programs should consider integrating substance use support and financial counseling.

Questions still open

Would housing assistance programs reduce substance use among older adults? Is cannabis use in this population primarily recreational or self-medicating for stress? How do these patterns differ outside of high-cost cities?

Common questions

Does housing stress make older people use more substances?

The study found an association but cannot prove causation. Housing payment concerns were linked to higher substance use, but the relationship could go in either direction or be driven by shared underlying factors.

Why focus specifically on older adults with cannabis history?

As cannabis becomes legal in more states, the number of older adults with cannabis use history is growing. This population may face unique intersections of aging, financial stress, and substance use that differ from younger adults.

Read the original research

Housing instability, health, and substance use among adults over age 50 living in New York City.

Frontiers in public health, 13, 1725374

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Versey, H Shellae; Dougherty, Michelle; Mair, Christina. (2025). Housing instability, health, and substance use among adults over age 50 living in New York City.. Frontiers in public health, 13, 1725374. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1725374