Nowadays the use of marijuana has become rampant to the point when many states all over the U.S are legalizing the drug for medical or recreational purposes. The approval of marijuana has made scientist to raise a lot of questions such as how safe is marijuana? Is it a gateway drug?
According to recent studies, most individuals who begin smoking marijuana are very satisfied with the drug and don’t go out seeking for harder drugs. However, there are some people who not happy with marijuana and hence go in search of harder drugs. Studies have proven that most senior high school students who began using marijuana don’t go in search for harder drugs.
According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, there are three theories based on why some people who consume marijuana start searching for harder drugs while some do not.
Reasons why marijuana may lead to other drugs
The use of marijuana at a very young age can affect the development of your brain, which can change the satisfactory level of your minds. Different drugs may start becoming attractive. According to studies on animals, the use of cannabis makes using opiate drugs to grow more appealing.
Consumers of cannabis have a high probability of being around people who consume harder drugs, therefore making it more appealing to use harder drugs.
People begin consuming marijuana at a young age because it’s more accessible than harder drugs. This is similar to cigarettes and alcohol.
Is marijuana a gateway drug?
The question about marijuana being a gateway drug is considered by many to be a misconception.
Our ancestors used marijuana since 2737 BC in China. The drug became popular in the developing world in 1545 when it was introduced as a commercial crop to produce fiber by the Spanish.
Marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco are usually classified as common gateway drugs.
According to studies, young adults who use all three have a high probability of progressing to harder drugs.
According to a research carried out by Columbian Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, young people who consume marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco were 266 times more likely to use cocaine in contrast to young people who used none of the gateway drugs.
Young people who consume marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol are 77 times more likely to consume cocaine in contrast to children who consumed just one of them.
This analysis is similar to adults. Adults consumed the three drugs were 323 times more likely to consume cocaine in contrast to adults who don’t consume marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco. Adults consuming marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol were 104 times more likely to consume cocaine in contrast to adults who consume only marijuana.
Is marijuana a major issue?
Some people smoke marijuana occasionally, while others smoke marijuana frequently. Thus it all depends on the way the pot makes the consumer search for harder substances.
