Gateway theory
Friday, July 11, 2008 at 04:39PM Gateway theories are among the most prevalent anti-marijuana slogans. Prohibitionists contend that marijuana users graduate to stronger drugs. While it is true that the major portion of heroin users tired marijuana at some point in their life, it does not follow that every marijuana user will eventually become addicted to heroin. Surveys of narcotic abusers indicate that many did use marijuana before using harder drugs, but most also used other supposed gateway drugs, such as alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, before trying marijuana. The vast majority of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana users do not advance to stronger drugs. Moreover, the majority of Americans who try marijuana (estimated in the tens of millions) do not continue to use cannabis on a habitual basis and often stop using it entirely by the age of 30. The 1999 Institute of Medicine report dismissed any previous credibility of the gateway theory, noting that tobacco and alcohol generally predate marijuana use as gateway drugs.
Related Sections: Addiction, Cerebral Effects, Dependence.
Reader Comments (1)
You are right! Marijuana is NOT a gateway drug. I have had 44 years of direct contact or as a law enforcement officer for 30+ years (now retired with honors)of fighting the ill-fated war on drugs. The fact that marijuana is still illegal and therefore very often sold by drug dealers "along side of" heroin, opium, etc. and the worst one yet....methamphetamine is where your kids get it from and are introduced to it by the dealers. There is your main gateway! Also, when caught in possession they are sometimes incarcerated there or meet other criminals in REHAB. And even worse is the fact that dealers will often put meth into marijuana to get the kids addicted to meth or heroin. It is a crazy and mean world out there folks so be very careful what you get on the streets now days. Please!