Quote:
Originally Posted by MissSmallAimsSmall
"If there is a relationship between cannabis and other illicit drug use, we have to explain it. The two main explanations that feature in the public debate are: (1) that cannabis users are more likely to use other illicit drugs because of the pharmacological and other effects that cannabis has; and (2) that cannabis users are more likely to use other illicit drugs because the same black market supplies cannabis and other illicit drugs, so cannabis users are more likely to have access to other illicit drugs.
There is abundant evidence from surveys of adolescent drug use in the United States and elsewhere that cannabis use and the use of cocaine and heroin are associated (7). From the late 1970s to the 1990s in the United States, there was a strong relationship between regular cannabis use and the later use of heroin and cocaine. Kandel (8), for example, found that only 7% of American adolescents who had not used cannabis reported using another illicit drug. By contrast, 33% of those who reported using cannabis had used another illicit drug. Most (84%) daily cannabis users had done so and they had also used many more types of illicit drugs than their peers who had not used cannabis or who were not daily users of cannabis (8).
Almost all adolescents who have tried cocaine and heroin, had used alcohol, tobacco and cannabis in that order (10). Those who began to use alcohol and tobacco at an early age, and those became regular smokers and drinkers, were the ones who were most likely to use cannabis. In turn, it was cannabis users who began use at an early age who were the most likely to become regular cannabis users and the most likely to use hallucinogens, amphetamines and tranquillizers. The heaviest users of these drugs were, in turn, more likely to use cocaine and heroin."- The Health and Psychological effects of Cannabis Use
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Really... we went over this mess in pages 1-4 possibly including some contained in page 5. I would have thought that your good friend Mathgeek would have showed you all the studies linked by us heathen libertarian drug users.
In any case here is a short list of studies which refute the study's you have listed above.
Mathematical Model study
In December 2002, a study by RAND regarding if cannabis use results in the subsequent use of cocaine and heroin was published in the British Journal of Addiction, a peer-reviewed scientific publication. The researchers created a mathematical model simulating adolescent drug use. National rates of cannabis and hard drug use in the model matched survey data collected from representative samples of youths from across the United States; the model produced patterns of drug use and abuse. Andrew Morral, associate director of RAND's Public Safety and Justice unit and lead author of the study stated:[19]
We've shown that the marijuana gateway effect is not the best explanation for the link between marijuana use and the use of harder drugs ... An alternative, simpler and more compelling explanation accounts for the pattern of drug use you see in this country, without resort to any gateway effects. While the gateway theory has enjoyed popular acceptance, scientists have always had their doubts. Our study shows that these doubts are justified.
One reason the risk factor for using drugs in cannabis users is higher is because few people try hard drugs prior to trying cannabis, not because cannabis users increasingly try hard drugs such as amphetamines. For example, cannabis is typically available at a significantly earlier age than other illicit drugs. Further research has shown that people with a disposition to resort to cannabis use are more likely to live longer and healthier lives than users of other "social drugs" such as alcohol.[20]
Study on American adolescents (12 years)
In December 2006, a 12 year gateway drug hypothesis study on 214 boys from ages 10–12 by the American Psychiatric Association was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study concluded adolescents who used cannabis prior to using other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, were no more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder than subjects in the study who did not use cannabis prior to using other drugs.[21] In other words, rearranging the order of the alleged "steppingstones" did not change the outcomes.
Study on San Francisco vs. Amsterdam
In 2004, a study comparing cannabis users in San Francisco to those in Amsterdam was done to test the effects of the differing drug policies in the two cities on drug use patterns. The Netherlands has a drug policy of decriminalization in which cannabis can be bought by adults over 18 in quasi-legal "coffee shops" and used publicly, while in the United States cannabis is criminalized and must be bought in the black market (often from the same dealers that sell hard drugs) and used "underground". The results found that, compared with their counterparts in Amsterdam the San Francisco cannabis users were significantly more likely to use cocaine, crack, amphetamines, ecstasy, and opiates despite similar cannabis use patterns and a more permissive drug policy in the Netherlands.[22]
Rat studies
A study in 3-4 month old rats actually found reduced reinforcing potential of cocaine in those rats pretreated with THC compared with those treated with vehicle only.[23] Another rat study (28–49 days old, or 6.6–10.4 in human years) found that, while rats pretreated with THC consumed higher doses of heroin relative to controls, both groups took up self-administration of heroin at the same rate, and there was no significant difference between groups on the reinforcing effects of heroin.[24]
There are many, many, many more....... But for some strange reason i really doubt you will believe them.