Teen pot smokers 15 times more likely to use amphetamines in their 20s

OK, I will admit that I don't think that drinking or smoking in moderation, is a huge deal. As long as you're being considerate of those around you and being responsible (not driving drunk, for example), I figure that you can do with your life what you want. And speaking of smoking, I'm not a marijuana fan but again I think that using it in moderation is probably OK.

Maybe it's because I'm from China where the view on cannabis is much more lax than in the US, but I never really believed the suggestion that pot (along with drinking and smoking cigarettes) is a gateway drug that will lead users to try harder, more dangerous drugs. Apparently I'm going to have to revise my position and eat my words though, as a huge Australian study has shown the exact opposite to be true.

The study, which followed 2000 young people from the State of Victoria in southeastern Oz for 10 years, has shown that teens who smoked cannabis at age 15 were 15 times more likely to use amphetamines in their 20s. The study also says that study participants who began drinking and smoking cigarettes at a young age were more likely to try pot in the first place. Considering the size and length of the study, as well as the pretty huge findings, I'm thinking I may have to change my opinion about what sorts of things are OK in moderation.