Drug addiction doesn’t just suddenly occur one day. Conditions predispose a person to addiction, and circumstances allow drug addiction to continue. For example, a person who is bored, stressed or depressed may look for solutions to alleviate that boredom, stress or depression. For them, if it’s accessible, marijuana may be the solution. Some say marijuana opens the door to other, more harmful drugs, and in that way marijuana itself is highly dangerous. Is marijuana in fact a ‘gateway’ to other drugs? Here are five answers to that question from experts in the field of drug addiction, substance abuse and treatment.
YES. According to a recent study by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, there was a pronounced difference in future drug use between kids who used marijuana and those who did not. In fact, teens who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than those who do not.
YES. In a study of 311 young adult pairs in 2003, Michael T. Lynskey, Ph.D., found that “Individuals who used cannabis by age 17 years had odds of other drug use, alcohol dependence, and drug abuse/dependence that were 2.1 to 5.2 times higher than those of their co-twin, who did not use cannabis before age 17 years… In particular, early access to and use of cannabis may reduce perceived barriers against the use of other illegal drugs and provide access to these drugs.” Continue reading ‘Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug? 5 Answers’ »
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