Marijuana serves as a “bridge” to other drugs

Marijuana is a “drug bridge”, since the majority of addicts began the  addictive process testing, for fun, a joint of marijuana and a beer, thus expresses it by Dr. Fernando Valarezo Crespo, medical neuropsychiatrist and President of the Ecuadorian Association of Psychiatry.

Valarezo said that the possibility that marijuana is a bridge exists because as any other illegal drug, produces addiction, especially depending on the quality of the cannabis used, since cannabis with high THC levels will induce specific neurobiological mechanisms more quickly, leaving a biochemical footprint in the base of the brain that can “wake up” at any time, when the social, family, environmental and genetic factors are prone to consumption of drugs.

The mechanisms of compulsion that occur immediately causes  that progressively the individual passes from “natural marijuana” to stronger and more toxic drugs.

“Today we live in an environment prone to addiction; There are TV spots of some brands of liquors and tobacco which promote sports; In addition, there is no party without liquor”, argues Valarezo.

In the pilot phase, the person tests out of curiosity. When is a casual consumer,  he uses one or more drugs from time to time, without continuity, or when the opportunity is presented. The usual consumer  has  the usual consumer habit and cares for it. And the dependent is the person who has the need to consume the substance continuously.