According to a study, people who use medicinal cannabis are more prone than the general population to consume nicotine products. The study, published in the American Journal on Addictions, is among the first to examine nicotine use among patients of a medical marijuana dispensary. "Simultaneous use of cannabis and nicotine is a growing concern, but while the relationship between recreational cannabis and nicotine use is well-established, little is known about nicotine use among users of medical cannabis," said Mary Bridgeman, a clinical professor at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. They found that close to 40 per cent of medical marijuana users also use nicotine -- sharply higher than the 14 per cent of U.S. adults who smoke. "Between the higher rates of nicotine use in those using medical cannabis, the fact that cigarette smokers opt to smoke cannabis as well and that those people also are seeking to quit using nicotine presents a strong argument that dispensaries provide tobacco control messaging at the point-of-sale to encourage cigarette smokers to quit," Steinberg added. "The strategy also could increase the chances that a medical cannabis user would vape the product, which is a less harmful route than smoking."