Studies - Teenagers often use opiates in combination with marijuana
- A five-year study involving 125 people showed that cannabis does not necessarily have to be an "entry drug to harder drugs."
While cannabis is still illegal in the United Kingdom, new research has found that cannabis may not be a "gateway to hard drugs", as many may have thought so far.
In fact, it could be the key to discouraging users from progressing to "tougher drugs," such as cocaine and ecstasy, scientists at New Mexico University say.
The five-year study included 125 participants who suffered from chronic pain. 83 used cannabis as a painkiller, while 42 decided not to use marijuana.
It was found that 34% of cannabis users stopped using their medicines, compared to only 2% of marijuana non-smokers, with 98% continuing to use their medicines.
"The current opiate epidemic causes deaths in the top rankings in the US, killing even more people than car accidents or weapons," said Professor Jacob Miguel Vigil.
"Therefore, the relative safety and efficacy of cannabis use compared to other drugs should be taken by healthcare providers and legislators," he said.
He explained that painkillers and heroin usually kill 90 people in the US daily; this suggests that some studies claim that cannabis consumption has never directly caused death.
However, in 2014, Gemma Moss became the first British woman to die of cannabis toxicity after allegedly smoking 60 pounds a week, leading to death due to cardiac arrest.
While it is now legal in several US states, in the United Kingdom, holding B group narcotics can get you to 5 years in jail, sale and production even for 14 years.