Washington D.C. residents are doomed to a grim future of drug addiction, the Russian Health Ministry's top drugs specialist warned Thursday in a scathing commentary on the district's recent legalization of marijuana.

"When the authorities take their cue from the sinister interests of the population, what happens is everyone becomes a drug addict," Yevgeny Bryun, the ministry's chief drugs specialist, was cited as saying Thursday by Interfax news agency.

A law legalizing recreational marijuana use took effect in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. In accordance with the new law, Washington residents over 21 years of age will be allowed to smoke marijuana in their own homes, but not in public places.

Bryun expressed hope that Russia would not follow suit.

"The path from marijuana use does not always lead to hard drugs in 100% of cases, but there is a pattern. The use of marijuana is a gateway to more serious drug addiction, and people who have genetic and inherent risk factors will definitely become drug addicts," Bryun was cited as saying.

Earlier, Viktor Ivanov,