Study: Marijuana Does Not Lead to Hard Drugs

Reuters ^ | Dec. 2, 2002 | unknown

[Rudder]

From the article: Researchers say predisposition to drug use has been linked to genetic factors and one's environment, including family dynamics and the availability of drugs in the neighborhood.

Andrew Weil, M.D. peformed a rather exhaustive study of cultural patterns in drug use. He found that, throughout history, all cultures (except one) regularly used intoxicants in one form or another. The notable exception was Eskimos, who now use alcohol since it was introduced to them by explorers to the north pole.

The misleading statement from the article seems to me to be a token excercise in political correctness of the pseudoscience variety. They conclude it's either genetic or environment...duh!

[TopQuark]

but the study did use data from between 82 and 94. Is this not a long enough time period to draw a conclusion about the causality of MJ. It would have been if they observed a cohort. That is, someone who is a teanager in 82, starts using MJ, and is then observed in terms of progression to other drugs. That is exactly what makes a study longitudinal: each subject is observed over time.

Of course, by 1994, that teenager is is in his late 20s, so such study would never be reported as focused on teenagers.

What these people have dones is formed a pool out of all data from 1984 and 1992. In this case each subject is not observed over time but only once. This is what makes the study (by definition) cross-sectional.

This is what I was able to deduce.

You see my biggest problem with this is that I've know MJ users who used harder drugs and I've known those that that did not, myself included. Anectdotal? Yes,

YOu are a careful thinker, and I have no problem with a single word you say.

Anecdotal evidence is important also: it helps to develop hypotheses for a subsequent study. I am sure you understand, however, that your evidence depends also on whom you choose to intereact with and whom you choose as friends; they may or may not be typical in terms of the population at large.

but I think it's fair to say from my experience that MJ is not some sort of "gateway," but rather is just the first drug that a person comes across... Everyone I know who used harder drugs had a similar type of risky personality. I think that is the key in this situation... I too think that drug use is only a manifestation of some other traits and behaviors. But this is far from being an opinion: I have not done a study, and I have not examined thoroughly the studies of others. So, I respect your opinion but I have none of mine to offer.

Tbanks for your thoughtful posts, I enjoyed them.

[Monty22]

I'll trust my sober observations over a pothead's.. sorry.

[realpatriot71]

I'll trust my sober observations over a pothead's.. sorry.

So a person who smokes or who has smoked MJ is unable to make relevant observations? Is this your position?

[F16Fighter]

"Hey, you should be thankful for Keith...If it wasn't for him, there would be a hell of a lot more drugs on the streets..."

LOL...

And what would be funnier than seeing Keith Richards creeping along donning a DEA jacket with his trademark cigarette in hand?

[dread78645]

Psst: Pot leads to hard drug use.

The air is leakin' out of you. And probably out of your head.

[dcwusmc]

Can't say for sure; wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[Monty22]

I stand by my statement.

[thegreatbeast]

Divining which came first the pot smoking or the other drug usage is beyond the scope of most surveys. It would be require in-depth psychological interviews that are rarely done in such scope as would be needed to make meaningful observations about this chicken or the egg situation.
My point, and I restate it unapologetically, is that marijuana is/was used by an amazingly large percentage of those people who abuse(d) other drugs. Anybody want to try to refute that? Then why is it so hard to accept?

[A CA Guy]

I agree with you.

But they got to have their stuff, so I expect you were flamed after this comment.

[philman_36]

Marijuana is the most studied of all drugs. This is old news, nothing new and shouldn't even be newsworthy. That it is speaks volumes.

[Wolfie]

The whole furball could have been avoided if everybody would have researched the difference between "causation" and "correlation". To a person, the first exposure to an intoxicant among my peers was alcohol, beer to be more precise. Yet nobody has the gall to say that beer is a gateway drug.

[wideawake]

Your statement is not one of fact or evidence.

It's certainly a statement of fact since I've verified it with my own eyes, on various occasions.

And since I was an eyewitness, in any court of law it's certainly a matter of evidence.

[vin-one]

It seem to work, if you put in this link it should take you to the Bump list directly.
I think.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/involved?group=124

[robertpaulsen]

If it were a "personality" issue, then why wouldn't there be a connection between alcohol and hard drugs? I don't see anyone trying to make that connection.

I've yet to meet an alcoholic that would do hard drugs. What percentage of hard drug users were former alcoholics vs. former pot smokers? I'm not saying that one leads to the other. But if one's personality leads them to some initial drug (alcohol or marijuana), then the statistics for that individual to progress to harder drugs should be the same. But I don't think that's the case.

And maybe that's the key. Maybe that's why people think that marijuana is a "gateway" drug. FWIW.

[MrLeRoy]

I've yet to meet an alcoholic that would do hard drugs. What percentage of hard drug users were former alcoholics vs. former pot smokers?

Ban booze---and tell kids it's as bad as heroin---and watch how quickly that ratio changes.

[MrLeRoy]

My point, and I restate it unapologetically, is that marijuana is/was used by an amazingly large percentage of those people who abuse(d) other drugs.

Air is/was used by an amazingly large percentage of those people who abuse(d) drugs. So what?

[MrLeRoy]

Wow, from an opinion on how to deal with a social problem you have deduced the lack of love for this country?

You should ease up on that Glenlivette.

LOL!