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. 2020 Jun;48(2):268-274.
doi: 10.1177/1073110520935338.

Cannabis as a Gateway Drug for Opioid Use Disorder

Arthur Robin Williams  1
Affiliations

Cannabis as a Gateway Drug for Opioid Use Disorder

Arthur Robin Williams. J Law Med Ethics. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Cannabis use in some individuals can meaningfully introduce de novo risk for the initiation of opioid use and development of opioid use disorder. These risks may be particularly high during adolescence when cannabis use may disrupt critical periods of neurodevelopment. Current research studying the combination of genetic and environmental factors involved in substance use disorders is poorly understood. More research is needed, particularly to identify which adolescents are most at risk and to develop effective interventions addressing contributing factors such as trauma and psychiatric comorbidity.

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References

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    2. Williams AR, Olfson M, Kim JD, Martins SS, and Kleber HD, “Older, Less Regulated Medical Marijuana Programs Have Much Greater Enrollment Rates,” Health Affairs 35, no. 3 (2016):480–488. - PMC - PubMed
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