Marijuana may in fact prevent people from progressing to harder drugs like cocaine or ecstasy, as per scientists. Know the rare health benefits of marijuana.
Marijuana can prevent you from moving to harder drugs
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cannabis may not be the actual gateway drug as it is thought to be
- It may in fact prevent people from progressing to harder drugs
- Painkillers and street heroin kill up to 90 people in US every day
A new research conducted in London shows that Cannabis may not be the actual gateway drug as it is thought to be. Instead, the leafy substance may in fact prevent people from progressing to harder drugs like cocaine or ecstasy, as per scientists. The Independent reveals that the five-year long study involved 125 participants who were all suffering from chronic pains and taking cannabis as a pain mediator. Of these, 42 participants chose to refrain from the same. They discovered that 34% of the people who took cannabis stopped taking medication as compared to only two percent non-smokers. The rest 98% continued to take the prescribed drugs.
Lead author of this study and psychology professor Jacob Miguel Vigil statted "Our current opioid epidemic is the leading preventable form of death in the US, killing more people than car accidents and gun violence. Therefore, the relative safety and efficacy of using cannabis in comparison to that of other scheduled medications should be taken by the health providers and legislators."
He also revealed that these painkillers and street heroin kill up to 90 people in US every day. However, other studies claim that cannabis consumption has not caused a single direct fatality as of now.
In 2014, Gemma Moss, a woman of British origin, died from cannabis toxicity. She reportedly smoked GBP 60 worth of the drug in just one week which eventually lead to her death due to a cardiac arrest.
Know the rare health benefits of marijuana.
1. Stops and slows down cancer cells from spreading.
2. It prevents Alzheimer's.
3. Eases pain of multiple sclerosis
4. Reduces symptoms from treating Hepatitis C and increases treatment effectiveness.
5. Helps in reducing adverse effects of tobacco and improves lung health.
6. Protects brain against stroke and trauma.
With inputs from ANI
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