If I had to pick one, it would be cigarettes. It's honestly a no-brainer for me. Weed is a gateway drug. For those of you who say otherwise, go to a NA meeting and ask anyone there. While there are people who don't make the jump into other drugs, there are more than a few people who do. I'd rather run the risk of my kid having to overcome an addiction to cigarettes than to other drugs...

 

What makes marijuana a gateway drug? Does it force you to do try other drugs? Is it that after you get high you are more willing to chase other highs? If that's the case, why is alcohol (or cigarettes, for that matter) not a gateway drug? Is it something else?

For the record my vote in this thread is wrong. The poll question was different than the title of the thread.

 

Mine is too.

I think marijuana is getting a bad rap as a gateway drug. Just because it is easier to acquire than other drugs doesn't make it a gateway drug, IMO. As much weed as I have smoked I still have never once done coke or even been offered coke or any other hard drugs for that matter.

What makes marijuana a gateway drug? Does it force you to do try other drugs? Is it that after you get high you are more willing to chase other highs? If that's the case, why is alcohol (or cigarettes, for that matter) not a gateway drug? Is it something else?

 

I don't know exactly what makes marijuana a gateway drug; all I can do is cite some statistics that give evidence that one way or another, marijuana use does lend those using towards the use of other "harder" drugs: According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 62% of adults who had used marijuana as teens have used cocaine at some point during their lives, whereas that number is lowered to 0.6% for adults who have never used marijuana. Furthermore, adults who have smoked marijuana as teens are 9% more likely to use heroin, versus 0.1% percent for those who had never smoked it.

I think marijuana is getting a bad rap as a gateway drug. Just because it is easier to acquire than other drugs doesn't make it a gateway drug, IMO. As much weed as I have smoked I still have never once done coke or even been offered coke or any other hard drugs for that matter.

 

I can understand using the "well that's not the case with me" argument...it would only make sense to compare yourself to others. However, there is study after study showing that, statistically, marijuana does increase your likelihood to use harder drugs.

I don't know exactly what makes marijuana a gateway drug; all I can do is cite some statistics that give evidence that one way or another, marijuana use does lend those using towards the use of other "harder" drugs: According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 62% of adults who had used marijuana as teens have used cocaine at some point during their lives, whereas that number is lowered to 0.6% for adults who have never used marijuana. Furthermore, adults who have smoked marijuana as teens are 9% more likely to use heroin, versus 0.1% percent for those who had never smoked it.

I'd say the same statistics for cigarettes would be equal if not much higher. I feel the term "gateway drug" is misleading and mainly a scare tactic to begin with.

 

With the way it's commonly used, people are lead to believe using marijuana will cause you to use hard(er) drugs, which simply isn't the case.

I don't know exactly what makes marijuana a gateway drug; all I can do is cite some statistics that give evidence that one way or another, marijuana use does lend those using towards the use of other "harder" drugs: According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 62% of adults who had used marijuana as teens have used cocaine at some point during their lives, whereas that number is lowered to 0.6% for adults who have never used marijuana. Furthermore, adults who have smoked marijuana as teens are 9% more likely to use heroin, versus 0.1% percent for those who had never smoked it.

 

I'm scanning that report, but can't find that data. Do you have a page number or link or something?

As far as Marijuana as a gateway drug here are my two cents.

 

 

The way I see it some people are going to be looking to experiment while others aren't. Some people are scared to death of marijuana and will never try it, alcohol, cigarettes, or anything else for that matter because they have been of the assumption all is extremely horrific for you, thus never trying either. BUT, some people don't look at it the same way. Some people are more open to experience things. Thus, if someone is open to experience marijuana they also may be open to trying other drugs as well. Has nothing to do with marijuana being a gateway drug for anything else but more of a matter of some people are looking to try stuff, some aren't. The same people who are looking to try marijuana may also try something else, doesn't mean they did choose something else because of marijuana.

That virtually proves my point. How am I to know my kid has an addictive personality or not? Assuming I don't know the answer to that question, I'd obviously choose to introduce my child to cigarettes over marijuana.

 

As for alcohol, your assumption has no bearing on the question. We were asked if we'd prefer to introduce our college aged kids to cigarettes or pot. Truth be told, I'd assume that none of us would introduce our kids to cigarettes or marijuana.

No, but we wouldn't introduce them to alcohol either would we? I see alcohol having a bearing since you claim marijuana is a gateway drug. If you believe that based on the fact that some people have addictive personalities then you have to believe that alcohol is a gateway drug.

Weed -could be something they try and like for a little and abandon after experimenting.

Cigarettes- could more easily be turned into a life long habit. I guess it could happen with weed too but clearly cigarettes are more addicting. I think the only difference is that weed is illegal. Take the legal part out of the equation and I think cigarettes are worse to get involved with.

 

BM hit the nail on the head for me, this is a tough question, but would be afraid of the addiction to cigs.

Yes, later in life after smoking for many years. It only takes getting stoned one time and driving a car to kill yourself or someone else or to end up in jail for possession.

 

Why does the person getting stoned once have to drive a car and kill someone? Could it happen? Sure. But in that case, I don't want my child smoking cigarettes because if he smokes one while he's driving, drops it in his lap, takes his eyes off of the road and hits someone and kills them, it was the cigarettes fault? I just think that the driving while high thing is a complete reach for arguing against it.

Why does the person getting stoned once have to drive a car and kill someone? Could it happen? Sure. But in that case, I don't want my child smoking cigarettes because if he smokes one while he's driving, drops it in his lap, takes his eyes off of the road and hits someone and kills them, it was the cigarettes fault? I just think that the driving while high thing is a complete reach for arguing against it.

I agree, if it was a solid argument alcohol would still be illegal.

I'm scanning that report, but can't find that data. Do you have a page number or link or something?

 

I'll have to see if I can find it. I sponsored a friend at NA, and the statistic was one that I heard cited numerous times in discussion. It may well be in some of their research literature as well.

No, but we wouldn't introduce them to alcohol either would we? I see alcohol having a bearing since you claim marijuana is a gateway drug. If you believe that based on the fact that some people have addictive personalities then you have to believe that alcohol is a gateway drug.

 

The comparison is not apples to apples. THC is the active component in marijuana that makes you get high. THC acts on endocannabinoid receptors in the brain, which then alters the release of many transmitters from nerve endings - particularly those located in limbic regions of the brain, which control emotions, and euphoria. Alcohol, on the other hand, gives you a buzz by altering the way that serotonin reacts with neurons. Serotonin, among other things, has to do with self-confidence, a feeling of safety and security, sleepiness, appetite, and digestion. Chemically they are different things and are involving different parts of the brain's chemical and nervous operation. Most drugs have a far greater effect on the limbic regions of the brain than they do on serotonin levels. Therefore, you could much more easily link the effects of marijuana to "hard drugs" than you can link alcohol.

 

A few other points: Alcohol is regulated, marijuana is not. Alcohol producers have government standards and inspections, marijuana producers do not. Alcohol is purchased in sealed containers that were sterilized prior to the product being bottled/canned, marijuana is not. Marijuana contains more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco, alcohol does not.

For the record, I'm in favor of legalizing marijuana. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

I'd also mention that I brought up this thread with my brother last night. He's a respiratory therapist. He said, hands down, marijuana is more devastating to the lungs than cigarettes. I'm going off of what he told me, so I can't speak to how completely accurate this is, but he said, for example, that 1 joint a day is has the same amount of effect on the lungs as about a pack of cigarettes. 1 bowl or blunt a day (depending on size) is somewhere closer to 2 or 2 1/2 packs. Also, marijuana contains between 2 an 3 times the amount of cancer-causing chemicals that tobacco contains. Furthermore, he said regular marijuana users have a greater frequency of throat and mouth cancer than cigarette smokers - although not more than those who use smokeless tobacco. His last point was to mention that regulation and inspection of the tobacco for the most part prevents the introduction of fungi, mold and other micro-organisms in the smoking process. He told me that if you really want to argue the negatives of smoking, have someone witness patients cough up pieces of their lungs after smoking pot that has been tainted with fungus or mold.