The legacy of the ‘swinging sixties’ is to blame for a spike in over 75s being treated for substance abuse, experts claim.
It comes after figures revealed the number of OAPs admitted to hospital for drug overdoses in England has increased 126% in a decade.
Many are hooked on cannabis, opioids and cocaine.
Experts believe rise in elderly users can be linked to the generation, with those who where in the 20s in 1960s now in their 70s.
Data from NHS Digital show there were a total 1,581 hospital admissions by over-75-year-olds related to drug misuse in 2017/18.
Of these, 749 were diagnosed with poisoning by drug misuse - up from just 331 ten years ago in 2007/8.
In 90 cases pensioners were admitted for the most serious substance abuse issues, up from just 48 a decade ago.
This is when elderly users were forced to hospital due to drug dependence, or in a drug-induced psychosis.
Additionally, there were 742 OAPs taken to hospital with illnesses where drug abuse was a contributing factor.
This has almost quadrupled from 191 over 75-year-olds admitted in 2007/08.
David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, said these figures were down to the ‘flower power’ generation of the ‘Swinging Sixties’.
He said: “It doesn’t surprise me that older people are taking drugs.
“There is a generation that never really stopped.
“They never really believed in the warnings about drugs harms and they grew up in the Sixties.
“They are physically not able to cope with it as well as younger people.
“Drugs and alcohol misuse is down overall, but for that generation the trend isn’t down.
“So there will be recidivists from that generation that will have gone back to drugs.”
Karen Tyrell, of drug and alcohol charity Addaction, said: “These statistics reflect a group of people who started using drugs like heroin and crack cocaine in the 1970s.
“Many of them have struggled to leave these drugs behind and have had really tough lives.
“They face higher risks of overdosing alongside health issues like lung problems and Hepatitis C.
“We also know that people who use drugs like heroin or crack cocaine are more likely to have an alcohol problem, smoke cigarettes and have poor nutrition.
“However, we can’t give up on this group - and we need to do better.
“People can make a change at any point in their lives if we make sure we’re there for them with the right kind of support.
“That’s why it’s really important that people know where to go for help if they need it.”
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