{"id":94189,"date":"2017-10-31T10:50:17","date_gmt":"2017-10-31T14:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthyhempoil.com\/?p=94189"},"modified":"2025-01-29T21:06:19","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T02:06:19","slug":"is-marijuana-a-gateway-drug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyhempoil.com\/is-marijuana-a-gateway-drug\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug? The Answer Will Surprise You"},"content":{"rendered":"

A common theory promoted by people who oppose marijuana legalization is that the consumption of marijuana leads to the use of harder drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. <\/span><\/p>\n

People who use the so-called gateway drug theory as a reason to protest the legalization of marijuana point to trends and data they see as supporting the theory. But does the evidence they rely on really show that marijuana is a gateway drug?<\/span><\/p>\n

Correlation does not imply causation. Two things occurring together does not mean that one of those things causes the other thing to occur. Instead, the science and medical communities point to environmental factors, not marijuana, as potential gateways to hard drug use.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Gateway Drug Theory<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start by reviewing the specifics of the gateway drug theory (also called the stepping-stone theory, progression hypothesis, or escalation hypothesis). As stated, the gateway drug theory posits that the use of a psychoactive drug, such as marijuana, is linked to an increased risk of trying harder drugs. The theory suggests that the escalation in drug use from marijuana to, say, heroin is due to factors that include biological alterations and a similar attitude about drug use.<\/span><\/p>\n

Biological Alterations<\/span><\/h3>\n

In certain lab tests, early cannabis use in rats increased the likelihood that the rats would self-administer nicotine, morphine and heroin (<\/span>1<\/span><\/a>) later in life. Test indications showed that anatomical changes in the rats\u2019 brains\u2019 reward system occurred as a result of the earlier cannabis consumption. Similar results were found when rats were exposed to nicotine early in life, rather than cannabis. However, lab tests on rats do not prove causation, nor are they conclusive relative to humans. They merely reflect sequence. Again, correlation does not imply causation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar Attitude<\/span><\/h3>\n

Proponents of the gateway drug theory believe that similar attitudes about illicit drug use among peers may lead to an increase in a person\u2019s interest in experimenting with certain drugs, including marijuana. Environmental and personal factors, such as social and economic conditions, (including exposure to cannabis and nicotine early in life), may lead to use.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in human twin studies where one twin reports drug use while the other twin does not, the impact that familial exposure to cannabis at a young age may have on a person\u2019s decision to try it is debunked (<\/span>1<\/span><\/a>). In fact, other studies suggest that strong family ties help dissuade people from using illicit drugs (<\/span>12<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Other environmental factors, including association with different peer groups, may impact a person\u2019s attitude about marijuana and other harder drugs, but that doesn\u2019t make marijuana a gateway. In summary, pointing to environmental factors does not make marijuana a gateway drug. Instead, the environmental factors themselves may serve as the gateway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marijuana: Scope of Use, Effects, and Possible Dangers<\/h2>\n

What is Marijuana?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Marijuana is a mixture of flowers yielded from the <\/span>Cannabis sativa<\/span><\/em> plant. It is a versatile plant that, in its many forms, can be consumed using a variety of methods, including smoking, eating, vaporizing, and drinking (<\/span>2<\/span><\/a>). Common marijuana consumption forms include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n