The gateway theory was previously called the stepping stone theory. This theory states that although marijuana in and of itself is not significantly dangerous, its usage will be a gateway or a stepping stone to more dangerous substances. Through the years marijuana has been postulated as a gateway drug to cocaine, LSD, and heroin. Is there any truth to the theory?
The theory does not stand up in reality. Cocaine users are in fact likely to have used marijuana, which is more popular by far than cocaine. In reality, medical marijuana doesn’t shift people into using cocaine, heroin, or LSD.
A great analogy is motorcycle riding versus bicycle riding. Compared to motorcycle riding (in this example this is cocaine use), many more people have ridden a bicycle (in this case smoking marijuana). The amount of people who ride a motorcycle (use cocaine) that have also ridden a bicycle previously (smoked marijuana) is very high. Bicycle riding does not cause motorcycle riding, however, and increases in bicycle riding will not lead to a higher incidence of motorcycle riding. The analogy spreads to an increase in medical marijuana usage will not lead to an increase in the use of cocaine or other harder drugs.
All the analogy describes is a typical sequence in which events occur, not a causation. Just as riding a bicycle does not lead to motorcycle usage, medical marijuana usage does not lead to cocaine – it’s simply a typical sequence based on a high prevalence activity (smoking marijuana) versus a low prevalence activity (heroin, cocaine, or lsd use).
There have also been some studies in animals looking at an association between THC and the increase of dopamine availability. Researchers have said marijuana is “priming” the brain for heroin and cocaine use. However, no studies have ever shown that “priming” animals with THC injections increases their desire to self-administer cocaine or heroin. The theory has no basis in reality.
National Institute on Drug Abuse studies showed that of the seventy two million people in the US who have used marijuana (probably over one hundred million since the studies at this point), only seventeen percent used cocaine over 100 times. This means that for every 100 marijuana users, only 1 now uses cocaine.
The most commonly used drug in the States today is marijuana. Those who use harder, less popular illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, or LSD are also likely to have smoked marijuana. Most marijuana smokers never use other illegal harder drugs and marijuana is usually an end drug, not a stepping stone.
Want to find out more about Medical Marijuana in Arizona , then visit Arizona MMC’s site on how to obtain your Arizona Medical Marijuana Card for your needs.
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