Community | August 06, 2009 | 82 comments

Studies Show Marijuana is NOT a Gateway Drug...

source: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/study-say-marijuana-no-gateway-drug-12116.html

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TheJerryMadden
I am sure we all have heard it. From our parents, our teachers, those friends who overly stressed that they cared: MARIJUANA IS A GATEWAY DRUG!!

"One day its a harmless little joint on the couch; the next day your suckin dick in an alley for a nickel bag of crack.." is what they used to tell my friends & I.

But nowadays studies are showing different.

A recent study at the University of Pittsburgh tracked 214 boys beginning at age 10-12 (all of whom eventually used some sort of illegal or legal intoxicant), until they were roughly the age of 22; where they were categorized into three groups: (1)those who used only alcohol or tobacco,(2) those who started with alcohol and tobacco and then used marijuana (gateway sequence) and (3) those who used marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco (reverse sequence).


A quarter of the studied population exhibited the reverse pattern of using marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco, and those individuals were no more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who followed the traditional succession of alcohol and tobacco before illegal drugs.

The gateway progression may be the most common pattern, but it’s certainly not the only order of drug use,” said Ralph E. Tarter, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy...

While the gateway theory posits that each type of drug is associated with certain specific risk factors that cause the use of subsequent drugs, such as cigarettes or alcohol leading to marijuana, this study’s findings indicate that environmental aspects have stronger influence on which type of substance is used. That is, if it’s easier for a teen to get his hands on marijuana than beer, then he’ll be more likely to smoke pot. This evidence supports what’s known as the common liability model, an emerging theory that states the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug but instead by the user’s individual tendencies and environmental circumstances...

Check out the link for more info.
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82 comments // Studies Show Marijuana is NOT a Gateway Drug...

  • Ashlee_Kibbie
    • 0
      Ashlee_Kibbie  

    • this is @nursediesel: your wrong on many different levels. THOSE "drug dealers" ask YOU what YOU want, ive never been pushed and they give the option. your just pinning it on the people who you think are bad, when really their someone your veeery close to, and maybe even a neighbor, so watch your tongue, the only bad one is yourself, because YOU make your own decisions.

    • 1 year ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • nursediesel
  • Cochiese
  • Giganticus
  • cztheday
    • 0
      cztheday  

    • I still think George Carlin said it best: "Mother's milk leads to EVERYTHING!"

      Breast milk: the original gateway substance (Be at Peace, George...)

    • 2 years ago
  • TheJerryMadden
  • J_Jammer
  • hunzedog
    • 0
      hunzedog  

    • to all those who pick on cannabis? why? why not go after tobacco. or fda approved drugs.or high fructose corn syrup! do something constructive with your time. you aint changing a potheads mind....if the united states of america and all their help cant stop us.What makes you think some blo-hard nincompoop we aint never gunna meet is going to somehow change all of our minds. .Talk shit about us and change us all of a sudden?. Most of us have dedicated our lives to this! If we wanted too or not. We see this as our human right!. We dont tell lies about whatever is right or wrong with your life.thats none of my business.what i do is none of yours. thats why i am a pothead..pothead and proud.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  

    • I used to argue with any one who said this within ear shot. The only reason it leads to other drugs IS BECAUSE you have to buy it from illegal drug dealers, who inter push addictive drugs on people.

    • 2 years ago
  • hunzedog
  • hunzedog
  • bblue23
  • I_Heart_MAMBOSAUCE
  • TheJerryMadden
    • 0
      TheJerryMadden  
    • bblue23:

      haha
      i know a few financially stable folks
      who indulge
      frequently..

      whats the issue
      if you've
      got the funds to
      carry yourself.

      individuals, such as yourself,
      would benifit if they took the time to venture outside & socialize
      with folks,
      instead of getting all your
      information from television & movies.

      good luck friend...

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
  • phoenixtoo
    • 0
      phoenixtoo  
    • bblue23:

      The only problem I have smoking pot for health reasons is that I must deal with the criminal element.Because of ignorant people who repeat the party line when their opinion is given to them that I am waiting for my state to legally allow me to use the only MEDICINE that gives me any relief from a living hell.Get some experience, learn the facts by reading medical journals like LANCET where real scientists do actual research to determine facts not propaganda.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • bblue23:

      Articles that agree with your line of thinking....

      Facts are hardly facts when someone states someone else needs to learn them. More like "learn my opinion and believe in it as well"----the abuse of the term facts is ridiculous.

    • 2 years ago
  • Valence
    • 0
      Valence  

    • Anything can be a gateway if you think of it like that,most people i know who smoke pot don't chain smoke the shit.

      I don't see why people would go to harder drugs when smoking like two grams of kush will fuck you up for like a whole day,the gateway bullshit doesn't make sense i never believe it :/

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • TheJerryMadden
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • J_Jammer:

      Because people who fight for this 'herb' are constantly shoving things into people's faces about how less harmful it is and how wonderful it is and how it's so flawless.....but never do they or would they post anything that would put it into a negative light....that's because, like religion, they'd spin it to make it NOT about the 'herb' and about the person.

      It is a disturbing quality.

    • 2 years ago
  • TheJerryMadden
    • 0
      TheJerryMadden  
    • J_Jammer:

      this article is refering to a common
      mistake that many people generally have
      of the substance...

      it is not trying to justify
      nor glorify the use of
      marijuana,
      it is merely correcting an
      error.

      & marijuana has been in negative light
      for the past
      however many years.

      i like to think this article is
      generally known in
      the realm of debate
      as
      'the opposing statement'

      google it.
      ha.

      oh,
      & it is spelled
      hurb.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  

    • I don't usually speak badly about how someone expresses themselves, but GodsnLiberals has gone to the extreme with insults, with the worst spelling I have seen in a long time. One would think he was drunk?

      Why would you feel the need to use mfers? Why would you feel the need to be so rude? I think your comment is sad. You are not coming across as knowledgeable, just rude. Who do you think you are?

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • bailey78
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • Conniepae:

      SHAWN_RITTIMAN, whether I am a moderator or not doesn't matter. I should have refrained from posting it. I was coming back on to remove it, but since you have made a point about moderating for HEMP, I'm not removing it. But, GodsnLiberals I do apologize for my rude comments about spelling and alcohol. I don't really care how you spell and whether you have been drinking is none of my business. You are free to post whatever you think.

      I come to current.com to communicate with others and occasionally vent. There are times when I should just 'move along' and your comment was one of them. I am ashamed for my rudeness, not because I am a moderator, but because I am me. I can be as rude as the next, but I prefer not to be. Sometimes the little green monster in me just comes out. Sorry!

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
    • 0
      SHAWN_RITTIMAN  
    • Conniepae:

      There is nothing wrong with having passion for something that is worth protecting! What is wrong is people who seem to purposely seek out the same type of threads to put others beliefs down. Even if attacking back is an immediate response we may have in those situations, I don't feel you did anything wrong.

    • 2 years ago
  • hunzedog
    • 0
      hunzedog  
    • Conniepae:

      you keep saying whatever you want to Connie. YOU make sense! If people are saying dumb stuff you have every right to call them out on it. That is why you are a moderator ! march on

    • 2 years ago
  • cabinettags
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • Conniepae:

      I don't think GodsnLiberal, J_Jammer or Uncle Charlie are trolls. They add negative comments, with a healthy dose of rude, but many people are negative and rude. We can't demand everyone agree and be nice. We must lead by example and not become what we dislike. Little green monsters? lol

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • Conniepae:

      J_Jammer, I am sorry for lumping you into the negative comment. You have every right to decent, just as I have every right to support. If your opinion can't be swayed, so be it. But there are many who are still unaware of cannabis history and facts. Ya gotta admit, Reefer Madness is wrong. It is time to stop making criminals out of cannabis users. You may not agree with those who choose to consume cannabis, but do you think they should be criminals?

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • Conniepae:

      Well I do agree, people should be held accountable for their actions. If they would reclassify cannabis and stop making criminals out of those who choose to act responsibly, many would agree. Personal responsibility is the key, not group punishment.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • Conniepae:

      Collective punishment is a poor thing to try and do. You cannot punish everyone the same for something that they did with different intensities. It's like punishing someone who hit someone (harmed) as someone who killed someone (deadly harm)....it's unnecessary.

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
  • GodsnLiberals
    • 0
      GodsnLiberals  

    • these are the same people that when they reach thier early 40's (if they are not saying that aliens are stealing thier brains) woudl realize that they smoked thier lives away..would blame the christians..blame religion..blame the president (does not matter who) for thier misfortune

      if you think that it does not happen then you mfers need to get out and sober up every now and then and see what is going around..EITHER THAT or snap out of that denial high

    • 2 years ago
  • I_Heart_MAMBOSAUCE
    • 0
      I_Heart_MAMBOSAUCE  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      steriotyping and labeling is a gateway drug...

      Theres plenty of people that do nothing with thier lives with or without drugs of any kind. Theres plenty of sucessful people that smoke mj every day or used to smoke and stopped.

      Let me know when you make more money than bill gates.

    • 2 years ago
  • phoenixtoo
    • 0
      phoenixtoo  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      most people do not smoke to that extent for so long, just as most people who drink do not do so that much for that long, but some do that is no reason to allow one (alcohol) to be used responsibly and not another (pot). Marijuana is the only thing that works for me, the prescription drugs don't work or have horrible side effects.Alcohol is Much worse for one that marijuana, medical fact not opinion. Check out Lancet leading medical journal of Great Brittan.

    • 2 years ago
  • Cochiese
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • Water is a gateway drug. It leads to drinking other liquids. And for some people that liquid is gasoline.

      OMG... Water drinking can lead to Gasoline drinking!

      QUICK! Let's all ban WATER!!

    • 2 years ago
  • diabolical44
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • Wow... I smoked weed for 13 years and was never addicted to any other drug. I even quit smoking weed recently to obtain a better job due to the horrible drug laws in America.

      You know what's a real gateway drug? Greed.
      No matter how much greed you have, it's never enough and can lead to other nefarious things... Like cheating hard working individual out of their money...

    • 2 years ago
  • trut
    • 0
      trut  

    • I have smoked "green creek" in B.C. Canada and it tastes very,very fine. Very fine indeed. Why try to top perfection?

    • 2 years ago
  • cabinettags
    • 0
      cabinettags  

    • I'm glad to see this, although it's certainly no news. I simply like the longevity of the study and the fact it was conducted by the University of Pittsburgh. One more creditable institution going "it just ain't so."

      We old hippies started the counter-culture and the War on Drugs turned it into the drug-culture. By making bogus claims they made the use of marijuana "cool." A lot more cool than the hippies managed. It's not necessarily cool, it's just one more substance that produces a euphoria. None of those are really good for you, but some are worse than others. A fact we've been pointing out for decades.

      It's only natural the use would spread; in spite of it's illegality - or in many cases because of it. Worse, this war made supply and demand an underground business. And money attracts people that want to make it.

      Worse still is the fact that because supply IS underground, and plentiful because the market is there, it actually gives our kids easier access than they have to substances that are legal. Your friendly pot dealer doesn't ask for ID, he wants money. If you have money, you're in bro.

      The whole thing was an ill-conceived strategy with no chance of working. If the govt hadn't stepped in we old hippies would have had everyone growing their own and we wouldn't be here now. There would be no cartels. Our prisons wouldn't be overflowing. There would be no drug culture for people to get sucked into. The hippies were into smoking pot and Timothy Leary advocated we expand our minds with LSD. Cocaine and heroin was the other folks. It would have been instead, "Oh, you mean the long-hairs down the road? Don't worry about them. Give'em a snickers and they're happy."

      This has been a long up hill struggle for sanity and truth. And now, thanks to this war, we have more hurdles to jump before we can get there. But at least we're jumping them. Industrial hemp, which is much needed, and the legitimate medical uses have given the legalization movement credibility. And it SHOULD have credibility. Smoking marijuana for your own enjoyment shouldn't be a bug-a-boo; it should be what it is. An alternative to alcohol use without nearly the side affects. If there's any gateway involved the war propaganda put it, not the substance. As more and more folks come to realize this maybe we can get past this dumb stuff.

      By the way, great photo Jerry. Makes me drool.

    • 2 years ago
  • simall08
  • TheJerryMadden
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • masterzip
  • bblue23
    • 0
      bblue23  

    • From a recovering addict, it wasn't the drug itself
      that got me started it was the drug culture environment
      that led me to start using more dangerous drugs.
      Being around drug use led to the" If you like POT
      you should try this, You will really get a buzz~!"

    • 2 years ago
  • GodsnLiberals
    • 0
      GodsnLiberals  

    • The reason why it's called a gateway drug is because it's cheap, easy to get and when u use it enough, you make daily decisions that would eventually lead to harder drugs which eventually fucks ur life over to the point that u collect welfare blame the government, curse god and
      vote for morons who would promise u a check (but fail to deliver)

      it's a nasty domino effect

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • Conniepae
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      Wow... I smoked weed for 13 years and was never addicted to any other drug. I even quit smoking weed recently to obtain a better job due to the horrible drug laws in America.

      You know what's a real gateway drug? Greed.
      No matter how much greed you have, it's never enough and can lead to other nefarious things... Like cheating hard working individual out of their money...

    • 2 years ago
  • TheJerryMadden
    • 0
      TheJerryMadden  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      you say buds are concidered a gateway because
      it is cheap...

      from my past experiences ive seen crack & meth to be alot cheaper in comparison to mj, & also a lot harmful...

      & i think it would be an ignorant statement saying if you smoke weed, your going to smoke crack down the road...

      no offense..

    • 2 years ago
  • GodsnLiberals
    • 0
      GodsnLiberals  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      its not the weed tht is the problem is the human smoking the fucking thing..often enough they dont know when to stop..often enough they THINK that they can make good decisions when high..which eventually leads to something worse..could be drugs could b alcohol could be having sex and having a kid as a result..

    • 2 years ago
  • TheJerryMadden
  • lifestudentno83
  • J_Jammer
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      J_J you just love reaching for an arguement, don't you?

      I've never heard of a gun killing someone without a person on the other side pulling the trigger. However, that isn't the topic of discussion is it?

      Weed hasn't killed people, it hasn't been the cause of cancer and it's less harmful to people over long-term periods than cigarette smoking and alcohol.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • lifestudentno83
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      It is not about you being invalid in your experience with it or that you don't know what you are talking about.

      I just dislike people that speak highly of something without telling the WHOLE story for fear that they might dislike it should they know the full truth.

      Everything has a side effect. Everything has a negative.

      The same old same old comes from these articles, but never why it's not good for you. Nothing is totally good for you...there is almost always a down side.

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
    • 0
      SHAWN_RITTIMAN  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      Yeah it is just as bad as Reagan said! But he underestimated the true damage. If loneliness is a

      problem just ask anyone here we are glad to talk..and
      listen. Or you can start a I hate hemp group. I am sure you

      can find a few followers. Rebuild, recycle, regrow, replenish, restore, reforest! Free it and yourself.

    • 2 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      I'm aware of the risks and side-effects of smoking weed. It's just my opinion that responsible use should not be punished with jail time, job termination, or social alienation.

      I say you could still regulate it like alcohol:
      - Don't sell to people under 21.
      - Don't drive under the influence.
      - etc.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • GodsnLiberals:

      I am pretty sure that many who partake know the problems. But that is not the issue either. Not stating it along side the positive is like lying and giving the perception of something that isn't nearly as great as one makes it out to seem.

      Setting rules to who uses it and when is reasonable and no questioned needed should it become legal.

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • idealist
    • 0
      idealist  

    • T.V is a gateway drug.
      so is junk food.
      "ever since i could consume ive had a thing for drugs"
      its all about how " the man" wants you to live.

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
    • 0
      SHAWN_RITTIMAN  

    • Good point healy! Any time any child is given vitamins or aspirin or anything, I believe they are subconsciously

      taught that pills or elixirs can and will make you feel better. Thus lowering the fear of further experiments.

    • 2 years ago
  • TheJerryMadden
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • TheJerryMadden
  • krush_productions
  • bailey78
  • hunzedog
  • TheJerryMadden
  • bailey78
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
    • 0
      SHAWN_RITTIMAN  
    • bailey78:

      Seriously though, if they legalized all of it, those that go over the edge in public would still get in trouble. Users of any substance would stay within their circles and never bother other people much because the hustle and score would be removed. People who choose to use, pretty much have already made the decision.

    • 2 years ago
  • hunzedog
    • 0
      hunzedog  
    • bailey78:

      just keep a few females growing in the back yard with the tomatoes ! thats why they hate it ! because once they let the genie out of the bottle we just grow our own., that cuts out the middle man (THEM) hehehe

    • 2 years ago
  • victimofcoal
    • 0
      victimofcoal  

    • Chemo therapy is reason enough to change the laws. $3 billion per year of imported hemp fiber as the Tobacco farmer is ushered to extinction in the US. Let's see , create thousands of jobs, relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients, cut out the billion $ a year pharma monopoly and save taxpayers millions on health care costs.
      Legalization is a no-brainer, unless you are still watching "Reefer madness" as an educational tool.

    • 2 years ago
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