In the first study to examine nicotine use among patients of a medical marijuana dispensary, the article published in the American Journal on Addictions revealed that individuals who use medicinal cannabis are more prone to consuming nicotine products than the general population. Dr. Mary Bridgeman, a clinical professor at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, stated that 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.

In the study, the researchers found that 40% of medical marijuana users also use nicotine, a figure that is higher in comparison to the 14% of US adults who smoke. Similarly, therapeutic cannabis users were found to have used electronic cigarettes. On the other hand, people who did not use nicotine at all were about four times more likely to vape than those who exclusively smoked cigarettes. The study also found that 75% of the respondents smoked cannabis rather than vaping. Further, 80% of cigarette smokers reported planning to quit in the next six months in the study.

The findings of the study revealed that while medical cannabis dispensaries may recommend vaping rather than smoking cannabis due to the health concerns associated with combustible products, this recommendation alone may not influence patients who also smoke cigarettes. Co-author, Dr. Marc Steinberg, a professor in the department of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, added that the fact that cigarette smokers are opting to smoke cannabis and that people are also seeking ways to quit using nicotine presents a strong argument that dispensaries providing tobacco control messages at the point-of-sale are encouraging cigarette smokers to quit. 

(Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/cannabis-users-are-more-prone-to-nicotine-consumption-say-researchers-426489 )