Marijuana is thought by some to be a gateway drug among young people who eventually go on to try stronger substances. But that may be the exception rather than the rule, a new study finds.

Researchers from the University of New Hampshire looked at data from a random group of 1,286 children, teens and young adults who were in Miami-Dade public schools in the 1990s. Among the study participants, 26% were African American, 44% were Hispanic, and 30% were non-Hispanic white.

They were asked about their substance use and about exposure to major events and traumas that occurred before age 13. Some questions included, "Did you ever fail a grade at school?", "Did your parents ever divorce/separate?" and "Were you regularly emotionally abused by one of your caretakers?"

Education played a role in use of other substances--those more likely to have used marijuana as teens and other drugs as young adults didn't graduate from high school or go to college. Employment factored in as well, since those who smoked pot as teens and were out of work after high school were more apt to use other drugs.

Researchers also discovered that if young adults became involved with other substances after using marijuana as teens, that link didn't hold once the sources of stress, such as not working, went away.

Age was yet another issue. Researchers discovered that after the age of 21, the gateway effect seemed to disappear.

The results could have implications for drug policy, the study authors argue. "Employment in young adulthood can protect people by 'closing' the marijuana gateway," said lead author Karen Van Gundy, in a news release, "so over-criminalizing youth marijuana use might create more serious problems if it interferes with later employment opportunities."

The study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

-- Jeannine Stein / Los Angeles Times

I somehow missed this yesterday - Madonna’s 13 year old daughter Lourdes (Lola) stepped out in London yesterday wearing this outfit. Personally, before we even get into the pot thing, I just have to say that although I find her outfit very cute, I’m not sure black panty hose and booty shorts are appropriate for a 13-year-old. Yes, she’s wearing them with combat boots and a regular t-shirt, but still. When you see the pockets of your cutoffs peeking out of the bottom, that’s too short for 13 years old.

Anyway, Lola wore a little Rasta cuff with an image of a marijuana leaf.

Too much? Especially for the daughter of the anti-drug Madonna? Madge is all about control and not showing weakness - drugs are definitely a weakness in Madge’s mind. But I could also see Madge being pro-pot in a general sense, and maybe encouraging her daughter to experiment with drugs, but only if it’s pot? Probably not though. Most likely, Lola doesn’t toke and she just picked out the cuff because, in her 13-year-old fashionista mind, “Rasta is ‘in’ this season.”

Lola on August 22, 2010. Credit: Bauer-Griffin.