Is Cannabis a Gateway to Hard Drugs?

This is not a straightforward question because there is no evidence, as far as I can find, that using cannabis will cause a person to go on and use class ‘A’ drugs or ‘hard drugs’ such as heroin, cocaine or amphetamines. But then there is no evidence to say that it doesn’t lead to class ‘A’ drugs either.

It is correct to say that the vast majority of the 2.6 million cannabis users do not go on to use hard drugs. Supporters of cannabis quite rightly argue that cannabis users also smoke tobacco and drink alcohol, so you cannot just point the finger at cannabis. However, a study done in the US in 2015 has focused upon the gateway between cannabis and other, harder, illegal drugs. The study found that 44.7% of regular cannabis users (weekly and daily) went on to use hard drugs. That still does not prove that cannabis ‘causes’ a person to use them, but it does show that it substantially increases the risk, especially if they are regular users of cannabis.

I fully accept that only a minority of users of cannabis will go on to use hard drugs. Still, it is not a small proportion of heavy users of cannabis, as the research shows, and remember, we are often talking about vulnerable young teenagers. These young people lack maturity and can easily be led.

There are very good reasons why cannabis users graduate to hard drugs; these include:

• Accessing cannabis can bring them in contact with members of criminal gangs,  especially if they are regular clients.

• Cannabis users may look for a bigger ‘high.’

• Associating with peers who are prepared to break the law

• Living in a run-down area

• Poor parental supervision

• Childhood trauma

• Coming out of care and having no family support or friends

• Poverty and homelessness

• A lack of self-worth and feeling detached from society.

It is absurd of cannabis supporters to deny that cannabis is not a gateway drug; 80% of heron addicts admitted that they used cannabis before taking cannabis. Denying cannabis is a gateway drug is like denying that poverty is not linked to crime or alcohol is not linked to violence.

I have seen cannabis users graduating to hard drugs in my professional career and personal life. A close friend, oldest son, started smoking cannabis at 14, graduated to hard drugs in adulthood, and has become continually hooked on them ever since. Now in his 40s, their son's life is a complete mess, and the parents are in perpetual despair. Sadly, this story could be told by thousands of parents up and down the country. 

It is when smokers and the tobacco industry in the 1960s first admitted that smoking could harm your health that young people then were in a position to make an informed choice – that is the critical reason smoking dropped from 70% of males in the ’60s to 15% now – just think how many lives have been saved from a painful lingering death. It's time cannabis supporters come clean and be honest with young people that there is a risk and offer teenagers the chance of an informed choice and stop peddling false information to young people.

This blog is an extract from my book ‘Gone To Pot – Cannabis: What Every Parent Needs To Know’.