Marijuana Study Counters 'Gateway' Theory

a reply to: ZeussusZ

Nancy Regan, Said It Best ZeussusZ, You, just say No! And idk, where you live. But shady Cannabis dealers, are a dieing breed! I know what you're saying. I know people like that. But ....yeah I don't think so. Cannabis isn't making you fean, consume, take, partake, or any other um, um, name for other drugs, when they are presented to you, free or not. That's all your decision. Like, you gonna blame your car for the gas station, you drove it to, for pushing all sorts of great munchie stuff? I know, I feel ya. But Cannabis isn't the culprit, in that scenario.. Have a lifted day!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Awesome post! As always. I like all your stuff. You posted this thread @ 4:15. Ya could of waited five minutes! Right On, Stay Lifted!

Pot is a gateway drug because it is illegal.

The local dealer sells all sorts of # because dealer makes many on the black market.

Person goes to buy pot, but dealer doesn't have any more, so dealer turns person on to harder things. Starts out with psychedelics, then powders, then tars, etc.

Theoretically, if pot were not illegal, person would not have to visit illegal dealer, to buy illegal drug, only to be turned on to other illegal drugs.

Alcohol is legal, and person has to go to store to buy other legal items, instead of illegal items, as his reason for being there in the first place, was for a legal item.

Just my pov.

Flame away.

Alcohol, tobacco and cancer -- GOOD.
Marijuana, Ecstasy and dancing -- BAD.

Welcome to the U.S.. Please check your brain at customs. Thank you.

originally posted by: Kuroodo
It is a gateway drug, but not in the sense that the drug does it.

People take Marijuana, they got high, they like it. Some people like the high and want to go to the next level. That is when other drugs start coming in.

I disagree, going to the next level can simply mean trying another strain.

Depending on the person, a strain/derivative offering more bang for your buck/couch lock might do the trick. Switching to an entirely different substance wouldn't be the same for people who enjoy the taste/smell.

It would be like a connoisseur of fine wine resorting to huffing paint because it gets them much higher.

I've always posited that, alcool was almost always the first 'drug' used, and that if anything, all this 'gateway' drug research conveniently fails to mention the order in which it happens, and which drug is the 'gateway'...having said that, I have never read the research...just because...

Å99

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
Marijuana is no more a gateway drug than video game killing is a gateway to real world killing. Pretty much all of my friends who smoke pot ONLY smoke pot, they don't branch out to more hardcore stuff like coc aine or heroine. The idea is only there to discourage smoking a plant that has shown time and time again to have very positive effects on the user.

Actually, Video games are actually very harmful because they DO contain subliminal s that gets recorded in the subconscious level of the brain. (which is basically on autopilot out of the "sight" of conscious awareness. Also video games like "black ops" tends to teach people apathy. Which is very dangerous because without empathy it would be difficult for someone to know right from wrong. With empathy morals comes naturally and this is the part violent games tends to store away in people.

Don't forget who create these games. Their symbols has appeared inside many video games. This is a screenshot from the popular online game black ops.



World of Warcraft






Comparing video games which contain psychological manipulations to a plant created by nature would be really unfair when one of them does not belong to the nature group. I'd say you have more to worry about on man made substances, chemicals and technology than anything nature based. It is man's creations that will ultimately lead us to our doom.

On the topic though, i see the point you tried to make, you just made the wrong comparison ^_-. However, you did remind me of what this congressman told the head of the FBI.
Just want to keep this educational, but I am sure many of you will enjoy seeing this video. (Title speaks for itself.)

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
Exactly. If anything the TRUE gateway drugs are either alcohol or tobacco. People always start with those first anyways.

It seems things are changing...

As example my sons ex-friend was a B student, great in sports, all round good guy. He went to live with his Grandma for 2 years and started to smoke pot since she does it. He is now F student, dropped out of all sports, has started to smoke cigarettes and lately is boasting that he steals liquor from the local Safe Way. Went from a popular guy to one that everyone now stays away from.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
Exactly. If anything the TRUE gateway drugs are either alcohol or tobacco. People always start with those first anyways.

It seems things are changing...

As example my sons ex-friend was a B student, great in sports, all round good guy. He went to live with his Grandma for 2 years and started to smoke pot since she does it. He is now F student, dropped out of all sports, has started to smoke cigarettes and lately is boasting that he steals liquor from the local Safe Way. Went from a popular guy to one that everyone now stays away from.

Thanks for posting this. People need to realize that pot is horribly dangerous to the developing mind. So is alcohol at a tender age. It is proven time and again that pot is the most horrible substance known to mankind. And it should never, never be legalized and putting users in jail for up to 20 years is the best solution to rid of pot smokers, get them off the street for as long as possible. They do nothing for society. Dead beats, all of them. Nixon was right, pot must continue to be labeled as a Schedule 1 drug, it is mans worst enemy. Keep it illegal and lets fill up the prisons with pot smokers, that is more important than giving citations for drunk drivers. Can't you see and understand that pot is more dangerous than alcohol.

Thanks for posting this. We've been flooded with propaganda for so long and so often, it's only right someone makes sure the truth is out there for everyone to see.

I don't think there is any "gateway" drug. Just life situations, addictive personalities, and our will power.

Marijuana is most definitely the least harmful to make a habit out of.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Marijuana is most definitely the least harmful to make a habit out of.

Caffeine?

Awa? Not sure that it's habit forming though.

a reply to: Phage

I don't know those peppers will get ya. Rock bottom real fast.

Eta: is that kava? I'd never heard of awa before, had to look it up......Have had some really good kava at an Acai bowl shop. It is supposed to be tough on the liver I believe. But hey, bula! bula!

With caffeine I'm thinking it depends on the individual which of the two will be more harmful.

originally posted by: Kuroodo
It is a gateway drug, but not in the sense that the drug does it.

People take Marijuana, they got high, they like it. Some people like the high and want to go to the next level. That is when other drugs start coming in.

It's not in the sense that the drug does it, it's just indirectly influences you to do it and want it. Of course not everyone who smokes weed runs off and does other drugs. It's all how who the person is and how they are mentally. But it would be the same thing if someone took a different drug.

So actually, ALL drugs are gateway drugs. Most people who take a drug will want to experience the next level of a high. So they run off and take other drugs. Though there are some drugs that actually affect your mind in negative ways and give you the sensation of want. The reason why people point at Marijuana directly are cause of misinformation or other BS reasons.

I guess though the study says your theory or opinion isnt true though. Most people dont go on to the next drug. If that were true the way you describe it most of the west would be using harder drugs if 2/3 of the population has tried marijuana. You shoukd hwve said some people not most people. Most people do not move on to stronger highs. Some people are genetically predisposed to addiction. Some people had bad parents but not most people.

"Gateway drug" was never a theory. It was an assumption made based on flawed statistical data. The notion that just because one uses marijuana they will have to move on to harder drugs to chase a better high is dependent on so many different factors as to make it statistically insignificant.

Some people do chase highs with different drugs. Those people were going to do that with or without marijuana.

I don't believe that for a second. Most of the people that I know that we're regular weed users moved up to more hardcore drugs or at least used them intermittently.

a reply to: avgguy

That's not a result of the use of marijuana.

That is entirely dependent on the person. Most people I know that use one drug tend to use other drugs as well. Including alcohol, and smoking cigarettes. The use of one drug has nothing to do with the use of other drugs and substances. If that's the case then you can pick out one drug and say "this guy does all these drugs because of alcohol", or "this guy gets high on all kinds of drugs because of pain meds".

It is an unproven correlation.