Do not vote unless you are or have been a drug user. This is not a public poll so don't be afraid to vote.
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Is Marijuana a gateway drug?
- Thread starter tablariddim
- Start date
There should be an option "Marijuana lead me to tobacco." Not me, personally, but a lot of people I know had this happen.
The anti marijuana establishment uses the 'fact' that marijuana is a gateway drug. What I'm trying to ascertain, through this poll is whether they are correct or whether they're full of BS.
That marijuana led anyone to tobacco or alcohol is actually irrelevant, because they are legal drugs. I want to know whether m leads people to other illegal drugs.
That marijuana led anyone to tobacco or alcohol is actually irrelevant, because they are legal drugs. I want to know whether m leads people to other illegal drugs.
The only place where marijuana leads to 'other drugs' is in America, because America's society itself places it in the category of 'other drugs'. Other drugs includes coke, opium, ecstasy and meth just to name a few but does not include just as potent killers alcohol and tobacco.
By saying 'you cant have this' to children and kids hell even adults, you only make them want it more, making the personal decision of 'do I want to do this' unfairly biased towards yes.
Since you have then filled that thirst, you start to wonder what else you can do that they say you cant do.
However if marijuana were commonplace such as tobacco is (even though it kills 36,000 people a month), then people would not wander into the realm of harder drugs.
Of course there are always people that just have the personality type to try hard drugs whether marijuana is legal or not, but this would help those who are unsure to make the right decision on hard drugs that can do some real damage.
By saying 'you cant have this' to children and kids hell even adults, you only make them want it more, making the personal decision of 'do I want to do this' unfairly biased towards yes.
Since you have then filled that thirst, you start to wonder what else you can do that they say you cant do.
However if marijuana were commonplace such as tobacco is (even though it kills 36,000 people a month), then people would not wander into the realm of harder drugs.
Of course there are always people that just have the personality type to try hard drugs whether marijuana is legal or not, but this would help those who are unsure to make the right decision on hard drugs that can do some real damage.
All studies have confirmed a link between early use of so-called “gateway drugs” and later use of harder drugs.
All studies! There are no studies in existance where ZERO hard drug users report starting out with the hard drugs, they all report first trying light drugs. Where the debate comes in to play is in the number of light users who later turn to hard drugs and the other factors in the lives of those individuals that may make them turn to these drugs. The million dollar question is -– did these people try hard drugs because of their experiences with light drugs or was there some other factor in their lives that led them to escalate their need to get high, a factor totally unrelated to their first experiences with lighter drugs (known in studies as “confounding variables”). The answer hear is unclear and this is what clouds up the “gateway drug” theory.
The reality is very few people first jump into drug use with the heavy ones.
All studies! There are no studies in existance where ZERO hard drug users report starting out with the hard drugs, they all report first trying light drugs. Where the debate comes in to play is in the number of light users who later turn to hard drugs and the other factors in the lives of those individuals that may make them turn to these drugs. The million dollar question is -– did these people try hard drugs because of their experiences with light drugs or was there some other factor in their lives that led them to escalate their need to get high, a factor totally unrelated to their first experiences with lighter drugs (known in studies as “confounding variables”). The answer hear is unclear and this is what clouds up the “gateway drug” theory.
The reality is very few people first jump into drug use with the heavy ones.
Chronic is a gateway to laziness, desire of cheetos, and of course, hours on end of scooby doo.
I have smoked weed before and had/have no desire to try anything else.
I have smoked weed before and had/have no desire to try anything else.
Also all studies have confirmed that vegetarianism leads to meateating.
Every baby starts out a vegetarian and most of them become meateater, but not all of them. It was already mentioned that there is a difference between correlation and cause!!!
I am sure there must have been at least 1 guy on Earth....
But let's go back to your logic problem of causality. I am not sure the exact number but it could be like this:
80% of potsmokers drank alcohol first.
85% of potsmokers smoked tobacco first.
Does it mean that a drinker or a smoker will become potaddict?? Of course not! (also if it was true, eventually most smokers and drinkers would end up doing hard drugs, using your logic)
So, since alcohol and tobacco are not the gateway drugs to pot, pot is also not the gateway drug to hard drugs. End of story.
Sure, people get their hard drugs from the same or similar source as they get their pot, so there is a strong correlation, but that doesn't prove casuality!!!
Also did you know that all people who became swimmer started out as a walker???
So walking is a gateway activity to swimming!!!
well see? this is what this thread and poll is about.
you started with marijuana and then tried the others.
Once or twice at parties in my rampaging club days of the 80's. Peer pressure and lack of self control caused me to make those decisions, not a brown baggie of weed.
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
I actively sought out drugs and drug information, pot is just the easiest to get. Before that I used strong pots of tea with sugar, then coffee, then beer. Then I rolled up lawn grass and tried to smoke that. Then I bummed weed off college friends until I could buy a bag. I did try acid later, but that's because my friends knew I would be interested through smoking pot with them. I fail to see an actual mechanism whereby someone gets corrupted by pot so that they do other drugs that they wouldn't otherwise have been interested in.
I have bought weed many times, but only a handful of those dealers had hard drugs, too. Most of the time, it was just a friend.
I have bought weed many times, but only a handful of those dealers had hard drugs, too. Most of the time, it was just a friend.
Oh, really? Let's take a closer look at your post, okay?
"I did try acid later, but that's because my friends knew I would be interested through smoking pot with them."
And there's your "mechanism" ...which you readily admitted. And my guess is it's the same or similar for many, many others ...peer pressure.
Baron Max
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
Nope, it was the opposite. They were wary of introducing acid to anyone, but I expressed my interest in wanting to try it.
The pot didn't make me interested in acid, I was interested in hallucinogens for many years before I could ever try one.
The pot didn't make me interested in acid, I was interested in hallucinogens for many years before I could ever try one.
Leo, you fucking disappoint me. I started with beer, later drunk wine and hard liquor, but went back to beer. (not really true, just an analogy)
That is called experiencing. His point was that he didn't end up a hard drug user or addicted to them...
I haven't heard a feedback on my post, so here it is again, brainiacs:
If pot leads to hard drugs and smoking leads to potuse, how come that most of the tobaccousers don't end up on hardrugs??? Hello???
even you will have to admit that it's a natural progression.
if we take all pot users and ask "have you done harder drugs".
what do you think the answer will be?
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
Poppy seed bagels are the gateway drug.
Pot use is common among those seeking highs because it is a common drug. I have tried other things, but never to the point of addiction, probably because pot satifies that need, and it isn't dangerous or addictive.
Pot use is common among those seeking highs because it is a common drug. I have tried other things, but never to the point of addiction, probably because pot satifies that need, and it isn't dangerous or addictive.
I'm having trouble understanding why this topic exists in the philosophy forum... Perhaps a more suitable forum would be Human Science or Science and Society?
Anyway.
The term 'gateway drug' is meaningless.
Oxygen is a gateway drug.
Aspirin is a gateway drug.
Breast milk, now that's the real gateway drug.
Anyway.
The term 'gateway drug' is meaningless.
Oxygen is a gateway drug.
Aspirin is a gateway drug.
Breast milk, now that's the real gateway drug.
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
Yeah, those moderators need to get their ass in gear. Oh wait, I'm the moderator! Your wish is my command.