Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Marijuana is not the substance that pushes people to use harder drugs such as opioids, according to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
In a Richmond, Kentucky town hall meeting on Tuesday, Lynch told a group of high school students that prescription pills can have a greater chance of leading to future drug abuse compared to marijuana, reports the International Business Times.
"In so many cases, it isn't trafficking rings that introduce a person to opioids. It's the household medicine cabinet. That's the source," Lynch told students before fielding questions from the audience.
Madison Central High School student Tyler Crafton then asked Lynch whether or not recreational marijuana use could also lead down the same path of addiction to stronger drugs such as opiates.
"When we talk about heroin addiction, we usually, as we have mentioned, are talking about individuals that started out with a prescription drug problem, and then because they need more and more, they turn to heroin," Lynch said.
"It isn't so much that marijuana is the step right before using prescription drugs or opioids — it is true that if you tend to experiment with a lot of things in life, you may be inclined to experiment with drugs, as well," Lynch added. "But it's not like we're seeing that marijuana as a specific gateway."
Lynch's current attitude towards cannabis has softened considerably since her confirmation hearing in January 2015, when Lynch vocally opposed federal action to legalize marijuana.
"I can tell you that not only do I not support legalization of marijuana, it is not the position of the Department of Justice currently to support legalization, nor would it be the position if I were confirmed as attorney general," Lynch told Sen. Jeff Sessions at the hearing.
Medical research backs Lynch's newfound softer view on marijuana. The Journal of the American Medical Association found a 25 percent drop in opoid-related deaths in states that have legalized medical marijuana, while the most recent Monitoring the Future study found that more college students are using marijuana while using much less painkiller prescription pills.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana Is Not A Gateway Drug, Admits Obama's Attorney General
Author: Oscar Pascual
Contact: SFGate
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: SFGate
In a Richmond, Kentucky town hall meeting on Tuesday, Lynch told a group of high school students that prescription pills can have a greater chance of leading to future drug abuse compared to marijuana, reports the International Business Times.
"In so many cases, it isn't trafficking rings that introduce a person to opioids. It's the household medicine cabinet. That's the source," Lynch told students before fielding questions from the audience.
Madison Central High School student Tyler Crafton then asked Lynch whether or not recreational marijuana use could also lead down the same path of addiction to stronger drugs such as opiates.
"When we talk about heroin addiction, we usually, as we have mentioned, are talking about individuals that started out with a prescription drug problem, and then because they need more and more, they turn to heroin," Lynch said.
"It isn't so much that marijuana is the step right before using prescription drugs or opioids — it is true that if you tend to experiment with a lot of things in life, you may be inclined to experiment with drugs, as well," Lynch added. "But it's not like we're seeing that marijuana as a specific gateway."
Lynch's current attitude towards cannabis has softened considerably since her confirmation hearing in January 2015, when Lynch vocally opposed federal action to legalize marijuana.
"I can tell you that not only do I not support legalization of marijuana, it is not the position of the Department of Justice currently to support legalization, nor would it be the position if I were confirmed as attorney general," Lynch told Sen. Jeff Sessions at the hearing.
Medical research backs Lynch's newfound softer view on marijuana. The Journal of the American Medical Association found a 25 percent drop in opoid-related deaths in states that have legalized medical marijuana, while the most recent Monitoring the Future study found that more college students are using marijuana while using much less painkiller prescription pills.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana Is Not A Gateway Drug, Admits Obama's Attorney General
Author: Oscar Pascual
Contact: SFGate
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: SFGate
