Is Pot a Gateway Drug?

[kirksnosehair]

I don't think it's a hard and fast rule that experimentation with pot will eventually lead to other, harder substances.  But the truth is, for some people, it does.   People who already have a  predisposition to addiction are more likely to try pot and move on to something else eventually.  But I think age plays a role here.  Younger people (say the under 20 crowd) are more likely to experiment with other substances once they've tried and become comfortable with casual pot use.


People in their 30's, 40's and up....not so much. 

[Tick]

The whole term "gateway drug" is kind of bogus and most of the responses show that. One drug does not make someone want to use another drug.

That's simply not true. For many people one drug does make them want to test the waters of recreational highs.

[Tick]

I don't think it's a hard and fast rule that experimentation with pot will eventually lead to other, harder substances.  But the truth is, for some people, it does.   People who already have a  predisposition to addiction are more likely to try pot and move on to something else eventually.  But I think age plays a role here.  Younger people (say the under 20 crowd) are more likely to experiment with other substances once they've tried and become comfortable with casual pot use.


People in their 30's, 40's and up....not so much.

This 100%

[eric42434224]

The whole term "gateway drug" is kind of bogus and most of the responses show that. One drug does not make someone want to use another drug.

That's simply not true. For many people one drug does make them want to test the waters of recreational highs.

Except that if you are trying pot, you already wanted to test the waters of recreational highs.  Pot didnt make you do it...you already wanted it.

[lonestar]

Yep. Pretty much anything you do to alter your current mindstate is a recreational high. Pot, booze, NO2, airplane glue, cat pee, whatever. If you strive to change how you feel, it's a recreational high.

[TioJorge]

This to me is something that stems from something like an old-wives tale. Like you should wait 30 minutes after eating before going swimming. It's not based anywhere in science and it's more or less a method of deterring drugs; similar to the entirely failed D.A.R.E. program. It's ignorant to think that it's a steadfast rule that once you try pot, BOOM, "LET'S GO DO BLOW AND FUCK HOOKERS!". Right...certain people will want to do that. Those people will have had that mindset from before they smoked weed; the marijuana itself does not do that. I myself haven't smoked in a year (after being a habitual smoker for years), it just kind of tapered off as my priorities changed and I grew up a little. But once I stopped smoking, I didn't feel the urge to try anything else because I know my limitations and I know I have a very addictive personality. As a matter of fact, I had tried other drugs before I even tried weed; once I started smoking, it had the exact opposite effect...I didn't want to do anything else. As almost everyone else has said, it is completely and utterly dependent on the user.

Sure, some naive pimple-faced kid might feel the urge to use another drug once he's gotten high, perhaps even in the middle of it, but to think that once you smoke pot, one's mind automatically wants to try different drugs is absolutely ridiculous. This is not a blanket rule, it's a jaded, dusty-old way of thinking that is quite frankly completely out of the realm of reality; especially these days when drugs are more out in the light and people speak more frankly about them instead of acting like they're Satan's little helpers as it was in years past.

[Tick]

The whole term "gateway drug" is kind of bogus and most of the responses show that. One drug does not make someone want to use another drug.

That's simply not true. For many people one drug does make them want to test the waters of recreational highs.

Except that if you are trying pot, you already wanted to test the waters of recreational highs.  Pot didnt make you do it...you already wanted it.

I suppose that's one way to see it. I guess I'm just of the belief that one drug enjoyed can "gateway" to another. but what do I know, my brain is probably fried but all the gates I passed through.

[cramx3]

The whole term "gateway drug" is kind of bogus and most of the responses show that. One drug does not make someone want to use another drug.

That's simply not true. For many people one drug does make them want to test the waters of recreational highs.

Except that if you are trying pot, you already wanted to test the waters of recreational highs.  Pot didnt make you do it...you already wanted it.

That's kind of what I meant. At that point you had already tried a drug so trying another one isn't because the first one made you, you had already made the decision previously to try a drug.  Kind of starting to sound like the chicken or the egg argument.

[Tick]

Sure, some naive pimple-faced kid might feel the urge to use another drug once he's gotten high, perhaps even in the middle of it, but to think that once you smoke pot, one's mind automatically wants to try different drugs is absolutely ridiculous.
 

Well, no one is saying that. I would just think most could at least consider its a stepping stone to something else. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but that's how I see it.

[eric42434224]

Sure, some naive pimple-faced kid might feel the urge to use another drug once he's gotten high, perhaps even in the middle of it, but to think that once you smoke pot, one's mind automatically wants to try different drugs is absolutely ridiculous.
 

Well, no one is saying that. I would just think most could at least consider its a stepping stone to something else. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but that's how I see it.

The problem is that pot really isnt a stepping stone on some drug continuum that leads to harder drugs.  Of course it may be in certain circumstances, but studies and evidence shows that is not in most scenarios.  FAR more people smoke pot and never move on than do.  Look at the drug problems in Japan....pot isnt even in the equation.  The real issue I think many people here are having is the real or perceived responsibility you put on the substance in the drug progression, when the majority of us put the cause on the persons personality/genetic predisposition/choices/etc.  Like in your case, you used drugs before pot, and your desire for recreational highs began before pot.  If all your definition for a "gateway drug" is that you used it in between two other drugs, then I think you need to think of a more specific definition, as by your definition EVERY drug is a gateway drug.
I suppose that would be a relevant question to you....is there any drug that is not a gateway drug?

[TioJorge]

Sure, some naive pimple-faced kid might feel the urge to use another drug once he's gotten high, perhaps even in the middle of it, but to think that once you smoke pot, one's mind automatically wants to try different drugs is absolutely ridiculous.
 

Well, no one is saying that. I would just think most could at least consider its a stepping stone to something else. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but that's how I see it.

Maybe no one here, and I might've misconstrued, but my highschool was deep into these types of mentalities and the DARE program and that's exactly what they'd want us to think. That once you try pot, your world will open up to all sorts of horrible other drugs. But yeah, that's what I'm saying is that it's a 'it could happen' scenario, not a 'once you try pot you're on the way to being a cokehead'. Hell, DARE opened up people to try drugs, let alone deter them... Which is why it's now defunct (as far as I know). But even the term 'gateway drug' is kind of an ignorant way of thinking. The only 'gateway' is your own mentality and state of mind.

[lonestar]

DARE, what a joke that was. An anti drug campaign aimed at rebellious teens called DARE.


Who remembers the video game about it? NARC!!! 

[TioJorge]

Holy shit, I didn't until now... Yeah, that was such a blindly horrific idea... I can still remember kids in my class getting high DURING some of the presentations.

[lonestar]

Wow, I would never be that daring 

[King Postwhore]

Pussy.

I'm with RJ.  It's a combination .  Some people have that addictive personality.

Hell for me it's food.  It's not a drug but what I intake is not good for me.

[eric42434224]

Pussy.

I'm with RJ.  It's a combination .  Some people have that addictive personality.

Hell for me it's food.  It's not a drug but what I intake is not good for me.

Actually all a drug does is create a chemical reactions that can alter you or create addictions.  Some foods do too

[King Postwhore]

I agree.  All this can be addictive to someone and for others, no big whoop.

[lonestar]

And some drugs do it on  a much deeper level too. Opiates that directly control neurotransmitter activity in the pleasure centers of our brain are going to have a much deeper effect addiction wise than a bacon cheeseburger will. Alcohol is so highly addictive that withdrawal can be fatal without medical supervision.

[El Barto]

DARE, what a joke that was. An anti drug campaign aimed at rebellious teens called DARE.


Who remembers the video game about it? NARC!!! 

That game ruled. Running over the insane clowns while baked out of your mind was a joy that never got old.  Memo to DARE: don't make your promotional products so hysterical that pot use actually increases the enjoyment. 


Anyhoo, I've stayed out of this because others are saying quite well what I would. Cramx sort of nailed it by pointing out that people who start smoking pot are already interested in expanding their horizons. It's only natural that the people who wish to go further would have started out with pot (which as a youngster is far more easy to obtain that booze). I wouldn't have called it a chicken/egg scenario, though. There's no question that the desire comes before the pot.

Two things I would like to follow up on. I don't see much of a relationship between what we're calling an addictive personality and the move from pot to other things. Seems like we've got two different psychological conditions going on. The interest in getting high, and the interest to keep doing something you want to. I understand the progression that happens when one builds up a tolerance and has to continue increasing their intake or move on to stronger forms, but there really isn't such a progression with pot since none of the harder drugs really do what it does. Why would somebody who no longer gets off on pot move up to cola? It's a completely different animal. I was going to say earlier in response to something Tick said that addictive personalities have nothing whatsoever to do with moving on from pot, but now I'll phrase it as a question, since a couple of known junkies have continued on with Tick's line reasoning. What does propensity to addiction have to do with moving from pot to heroin?

And I want to be clear that I'm using junky in a jovial sense here. I've got mucho respect for DTF's known junkies. I would never use a demeaning term to refer to them.

The other thing I'm curious about is Lonestar's remark that pot is physically addictive. As I understand it, the traditional notion of physical addiction is physical discomfort from withdrawal as the body reacts to the lack of a known stimulus, and I've never heard of that happening to anybody with pot. I think what you might have been suggesting is that there is a physiological action with pot that one can become addicted to, but that would be a psychological addiction; the mind craving more and more of that good ole dopamine. As opposed to the body physically reacting to a lack of something it's grown used to. Thoughts?

[lonestar]

Yeah, that's kinda what I meant. I'm sure there are some physical aspects to heavy pot use, but the withdrawal would be so negligable that it would be laughable, especially compared to other drugs and booze. Keep in mind I'm no expert, just tossing out my experiences (which is quite vast lol )

[El Barto]

Yeah, that's kinda what I meant. I'm sure there are some physical aspects to heavy pot use, but the withdrawal would be so negligable that it would be laughable, especially compared to other drugs and booze. Keep in mind I'm no expert, just tossing out my experiences (which is quite vast lol )

There are certainly many psychical aspects to pot use, just none that are physically addictive. As for psychological addiction, I'm not sold one way or the other on that. I've certainly known enough potheads to know that they seem hardwired to constantly get stoned, but I've never decided whether or not it was the pot that caused the condition or if, as we're discussing with the gateway effect, they were just naturally predisposed to it.

[Jaq]

From what I've seen, based on my circle of friends, pot smoking is a gateway to talking about how you smoke pot. 

Seriously. Every one of the people I know who ever smoked it, when they started that's all they talked about. Ended the longest term relationship I've ever had.

[bout to crash]

Yeah, potheads who love to talk about pot are annoying as fuck.

For the record, when I was 10 I really dug the DARE program and was all gung ho about never doing drugs. The program didn't make me WANT to do anything... but a few months after I "graduated" I tried my first cigarette 

[sueño]

Pussy.

I'm with RJ.  It's a combination .  Some people have that addictive personality.

Hell for me it's food.  It's not a drug but what I intake is not good for me.

Actually all a drug does is create a chemical reactions that can alter you or create addictions.  Some foods do too

Tick does call cleavage a drug...   

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

No. Your brain is the gateway, not the drug. Your personality type dictates which drugs you have the desire to try/do.

Yeah basically this.

[bout to crash]

Nope, Ive been smoking 20 years, and it never lead me to do anything but the occasional cupcake or bag of chips. And these days, Id rather smoke a bowl than drink. No hanger over...

Oh shit, it's you!

Though I must say I have absolutely woken up with a pot hangover.

[TempusVox]

No, but pussy is.

Pussy led me to a lifetime of extreme fun, rampant promiscuity, addiction, seduction, depravity, kinkiness, being the cause of cheating, being the cause of divorce (my own and three different women from their spouses) being broken hearted, loneliness, losing half my shit, and finally redemption. Stay away from pussy. Bad stuff.

[bosk1]

Never had a problem with the pot.  But the story does not end there.  There are lots of other things that can be that gateway and lead you down a road you don't want to go down, and I speak from personal experience.  I shudder to think of the things I went through and the darkness I had to claw my way out of to leave that all behind me.  My gateway was definitely the pan.  It started with just a nonstick skillet.  But it didn't stop there, oh no.  The details of just how it increased, and what led me down the particular path I walked.  But by the end of it, I was doing several woks a day, and would even go for the occasional cauldron when I could get it.  Those were bad times, and I had to hit rock bottom before I snapped out of it.  Luckily, I got the help I needed and was able to clean up my act.

[tapsmiled]

Just my opinion, but I think adults that smoke pot are fucking idiots. Grow up and learn to deal with the world like an adult.

Yeah, don't blast me. It's just my opinion.

[El Barto]

My opinion is that people who make broad assumptions about classes of people should grow up and accept that not everybody thinks, feels or acts the way they do.

[tapsmiled]

I've known literally dozens of potheads, so relax yourself. I stand by my opinion.

[lonestar]

Dozens?



















 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Just my opinion, but I think adults that smoke pot are fucking idiots. Grow up and learn to deal with the world like an adult.

Yeah, don't blast me. It's just my opinion.

Well.... I mean..... there are more... .  tactful ways of stating your opinion.

And besides, rudely insulting people and then demanding they not respond in kind, just because it's "your opinion"? Seems somewhat presumptuous to me.

[El Barto]

I've known literally dozens of potheads, so relax yourself. I stand by my opinion.

Your 24 stoner buddies withstanding, you're still making broad assumptions about the motives and behaviors of a large class of people you know nothing about.

[lonestar]

Your 24 stoner buddies withstanding.....

 

Don't know why, but this is killing me!!!