Is marijuana really a gateway drug?

by garyv
25 replies
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Research shows that there has been a huge spike in the use of Heroin over the last year or so...

https://www.google.com/#q=heroin+use+2013

Could this be the result of new lax marijuana laws?
  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    Cigarettes and beer are the true "gateway" drugs.
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  • Profile picture of the author lcombs
    The real "gateway" drug is warning people about the evils of Pot.
    When they try pot with no ill effects, they don't believe the warnings about the truly harmful drugs.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by lcombs View Post

      The real "gateway" drug is warning people about the evils of Pot.
      When they try pot with no ill effects, they don't believe the warnings about the truly harmful drugs.
      Yep, the "truly" harmful drugs like cigarettes and beer.

      Cigarettes are the leading cause of preventable death in the USA, but you don't consider them dangerous?

      How many people die from alchohol every year compared to heroine?

      How many people try alcohol and tobacco before MJ?
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by lcombs View Post

      The real "gateway" drug is warning people about the evils of Pot.
      When they try pot with no ill effects, they don't believe the warnings about the truly harmful drugs.
      BTW, your first sentence makes no sense at all. Are you high and/or drunk?
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

        BTW, your first sentence makes no sense at all. Are you high and/or drunk?
        Kurt if you ever read the D.A.R.E. course they teach kids in school it would make a little more sense.
        They pretty much nail it on the hard drugs and then make cannabis sound as bad or worse.
        The kids know they aren't telling the truth about cannabis and figure they must be not telling the truth about the hard drugs also.
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  • Profile picture of the author ThomM
    I'd blame the abundance of Oxycotin and other pharmaceuticals.

    The heroin scourge has been driven largely by a law-enforcement crackdown on illicit use of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and drug-company reformulations that make the pills harder to crush and snort, drug officials say. That has pushed those who were addicted to the pills to turn to heroin, which is cheaper and more plentiful.Chart Of The Day: United States Of Soaring Heroin Use | Zero Hedge
    Cannabis has been used in different countries like the U.K. to help heroin addicts kick their addiction.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    Drugs are bad, mmmkay.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    Marijuana is a gateway...

    To Doritos... Cookies... Icecream and Mozzarella Sticks.

    (And restful, healthy sleep).

    :X
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
    Where I live D.A.R.E. stands for Drugs Are Really Excellent.

    And those D.A.R.E. cops took us to a Yankee game once.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by lcombs View Post

      Apology accepted.
      Just wish I could say I'm high.
      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      Me too. At least I'd have an excuse.
      Me too.
      (That was hard to type with a straight face)
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    I've actually smoked pot in my younger years with no ill effect (that I'll admit to). But just wondering honestly about the huge increase in Heroin. It has more than doubled in use in many areas, and it's timing lines up with the increase in marijuana.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      I've actually smoked pot in my younger years with no ill effect (that I'll admit to). But just wondering honestly about the huge increase in Heroin. It has more than doubled in use in many areas, and it's timing lines up with the increase in marijuana.
      I don't think the use has increased as much as the newsworthiness of it because of the recent legalization of pot in a couple of states. Connections now need to be made by those who opposed the legalization.

      In our local paper here in NY the stories of increased heroin use predate the pot stories. Simply put, the price of H has dropped dramatically because drug dealers had to compete with other drugs (such as meth) that "stole" their market.

      When I was a teen, I smoked pot. Going back to the late 70's, heroin use was high because it predated things like crack and meth. Like many other things in life, drugs also cycle in popularity.
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by MikeAmbrosio View Post

        I don't think the use has increased as much as the newsworthiness of it because of the recent legalization of pot in a couple of states. Connections now need to be made by those who opposed the legalization.

        In our local paper here in NY the stories of increased heroin use predate the pot stories. Simply put, the price of H has dropped dramatically because drug dealers had to compete with other drugs (such as meth) that "stole" their market.

        When I was a teen, I smoked pot. Going back to the late 70's, heroin use was high because it predated things like crack and meth. Like many other things in life, drugs also cycle in popularity.
        Mike if you remember, just before we had the increase in Heroin use we had a big problem with people abusing Oxycotin. When Oxycotin on the street became expensive, heroin came back a lot cheaper.
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        • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
          Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

          Mike if you remember, just before we had the increase in Heroin use we had a big problem with people abusing Oxycotin. When Oxycotin on the street became expensive, heroin came back a lot cheaper.
          Yeah, that does sound familiar.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    I was going to type something here but I can't remember what I was going to say. Mmmm Mozarella sticks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    I remember now...

    Coincidence does not imply causation.

    What else happened at the same time that we can point to? Maybe the sales of Strawberry Jam also went up? I think it's most likely what has already been mentioned (price of Heroin dropped).
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    I can't remember his name, but there's a drug researcher that's been making the rounds on the talk shows lately that had some interesting opinions on heroine.

    He claims that heroine by itself isn't deadly. It's when users mix heroine with other drugs that it becomes deadly. My own recollections of celebrities that died from heroine over-doses seems to back this up.

    He believes that if heroine users could be educated about this, many lives would be saved.

    I believe he is the head of a gov agency about drugs (not the DEA). I do recall that he has excellent credentials and has some data and opinions that aren't typical. If I can find his name I'll post it, because I believe he has some new ideas that should be heard.
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  • Profile picture of the author craighakwins
    Yeah it is. It's what a lot of people do. Once you have tried drugs and get used to it, there is a chance that you will want something with a greater "high" and these things can lead to something bigger like cocaine, heroin, etc.

    Seen it first hand.
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
      Originally Posted by craighakwins View Post

      Yeah it is. It's what a lot of people do. Once you have tried drugs and get used to it, there is a chance that you will want something with a greater "high" and these things can lead to something bigger like cocaine, heroin, etc.

      Seen it first hand.
      So you agree that the legally available and most addictive drugs, tobacco and alcohol, lead to pot that then leads onto harder drugs? I think ciggys and beer are the gateways to all drugs. It's summer here and I drive past pub after pub with people consuming booze and smoking ciggys.

      A lot of those other cars driving past have kids in them, their parents most likely enjoy a drink and some will smoke too.

      First thing I did was have a ciggy, you only had to be 16 then and hell, I bought my first pack at 13.

      Then I bought booze at 15 from a dodgy off license then got older boys to buy it.

      By 16/17 I'd tried weed.

      Funny how the government peddle the first two and mugs think its the weed that leads to harder drugs, in most cases here, the rot set in long before. I'm not saying it doesn't lead onto harder drugs in many cases, just that people seem to like to start with weed instead of the booze and ciggys. The Government here love to skip those two and focus on weed being the issue.

      Actually, I never really gravitated past weed, why would I when I can get truly wrecked on alcohol, then pop out the next day to buy more and the government love me for it, and of course smokers really love a ciggy when they have a beer.

      Long live hypocrisy.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    In high school I tried all sorts of drugs. I didn't smoke pot til I hit college. I tried downers once - you couldn't get me to take another if it were prescribed by a doctor. They used to try, but if it was a barbiturate I would flat out refuse - even for pain. I've known a lot of people to eat speed that wouldn't touch pot.

    I don't believe in "gateway" drugs. Someone is either going to do a drug or they aren't.
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