The kids are gone, pass the joint. Recent studies indicate that baby boomers support legalizing marijuana in greater percentages than younger cohorts, especially more than the 30-40's--the generation most likely to be in the midst of family building and child-rearing. In the past year or so, pot use among those 55-59 tripled to about 5%. A whopping 72% of AARP members support medical marijuana, possibly because we have a pretty clear first-hand understanding of the benefits.

Many who stopped smoking pot while raising children and advancing careers now have returned to pot to "soften the pains of aging" as the article points out. And many of us would rather turn to marijuana than to pharmaceuticals. This applies to non-medical drug use as well. Boomers are more likely to indulge in pot than pharmaceuticals for recreational use.

So, empty nesters, if you put off pot during the family-raising years, you won't be alone should you decide to light up once again. Let's just hope these arthritic old fingers can remember how to roll a joint.

Are baby boomers finding fulfillment in less material, less consumerist ways because we want to...or because we have to? Are you buying a Porsche or learning how to throw pots? This article in the Leader-Post explores how baby boomers are fulfilling ourselves these days. We're quoted, by the way, which is possibly how we at AgingHipsters find our fulfillment.