Lit review
by
Wilson, Jack et al
Release Date
2022
Geography
International
Language of Resource
English
Full Text Available
No
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
No
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Objective
The idea that cannabis is a ‘gateway drug’ to more harmful substances such as opioids is highly controversial, yet has substantially impacted policy, education and how we conceptualize substance use. Given a rise in access to cannabis products and opioid-related harm, the current study aimed to conduct the first systematic review and meta-analysis on the likelihood of transitioning from cannabis use to subsequent first-time opioid use, opioid use disorders (OUD), dependence or abuse.
Findings/Key points
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that while people who use cannabis are disproportionately more likely to initiate opioid use and engage in problematic patterns of use than people who do not use cannabis, the low quality of the evidence must be considered when interpreting these findings.
Design/methods
Six studies provided relevant data from the United States, Australia and New Zealand between 1977 and 2017, a total sample of 102 461 participants
Keywords
Policy/Regulatory
About PWUD
Illegal drugs
