The original gateway theory doesn't even show up on an over-the-top anti-drug site. Pretty sure it's dead. They just discuss marijuana as one of several "gateway drugs" which all seem like a safe bet for a users first drug.
"The vast majority of cocaine users (99.9%) began by first using a “gateway drug” like marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol. Of course, not everyone who smokes marijuana and hashish goes on to use harder drugs. Some never do. Others quit using marijuana altogether. But some do turn to harder drugs. One study found that youth (12 to 17 years old) who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than kids who do not use pot, and that 60% of the kids who smoke pot before the age of 15 move on to cocaine." 2006-2014
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/on-the-road-to-drug-abuses.html
"The Yale study, which appears online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, showed that alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana were associated with an increased likelihood of prescription drug abuse in men 18 to 25. In women of that age, only marijuana use was linked with a higher likelihood of prescription drug abuse." 2013
Already being called propaganda before a news article is even written on it, 2 months after being published 1/2 the article is devoted to two opposing views, dismissing it because they have opinions and are thus given equal ground to speak.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-08...ption-drugs-prescription-opioids-gateway-drug
"St. Pierre further speculated that among the minority of marijuana smokers who do graduate to harder substances, it's pot prohibition rather than the use of marijuana itself that often serves as a doorway to the world of hard drugs." 2002
It sounds like St. Pierre needs to get his shit together and do a study instead of speculating.
http://norml.org/news/2002/12/03/ma...ts-regarding-the-legitimacy-of-us-drug-policy
"Additionally, this argument implies that legalizing marijuana use would cause an increase in crime. It is in fact the opposite – in California in 2010, the year when the state decriminalized marijuana possession, there was a 'drastic 20% decrease in juvenile crime – bringing the underage crime rate to the lowest level since the state started keeping records in 1954.' The Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice who did the statistical analysis, found that while all juvenile crimes experienced a significant decrease, 'the vast majority of the drop resulted from far fewer arrests from marijuana possession' which accounted for 64% of the previous year’s arrests. While Duke may argue this drop could be a coincidence, the study’s researchers state that 'the only two factors definitively associated with the dramatic decline in youth arrests are the relaxing of marijuana possession laws and improvement in economic well-being among young people in the state’s poorest neighborhoods.' So at the very least, this serves to debunk the idea that marijuana use causes crime." 2014
If something like this was used by the anti-legalize side of course it would be dismissed as, oh my gosh, propaganda! This is just stupid strawman crapola, saying what Duke might argue. What does the study even imply about the causal link between crime and marijuana? Idiotic.
http://decriminalizeit.wordpress.co...on-lack-of-reasons-to-keep-marijuana-illegal/
"CA law enforcement allowing gateway drug, says anti-marijuana activist" 2014
Notice that is singular! Its like they've got nothing to bitch about and the whole pro-drug movement still needs something to whine about. So they find one guy who still is willing to speak on his own mind.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/culture/2...rug-says-anti-marijuana-activist#.UyEqPPkRq5k
RECANTED: Well on second look this appears to be an actual news article, nobody is really bitching about anything.
"California cities and police, which were once opposed to the legalization of marijuana, are now supporting it.
The League of California Cities and the California Police Chiefs Association announced they are dropping their policy of opposition to laws restricting marijuana business in the state.
"Whether the public wants to admit it or not, today's pot is a gateway drug," says James Lambert of MarijuanaHarmsFamilies.com. "I know it firsthand. I've seen it destroy the lives of many people that I know. It changes them forever."
Officials said they are supporting a bill that would provide licenses to marijuana growers and dispensaries.
The bill would also place new limitations on doctors that recommend marijuana to patients.
The two groups opposed legislation that would have allowed the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control the ability to regulate marijuana stores, warehouses and labs. The two organizations say that while they still oppose marijuana use, in the future, statewide regulation of pot is a possibility."
GOLDEN STAR AWARD
And ya... these are my random searches in the last hour just to give you a feel. I am sure you can find exceptions but this is what I found while out phishing. It is not my fault that this pops up on a google search. I didn't write it and I just click it and start reading until I run into this kind of crap, which for some reason is the first thing I see. Guess I know where to start reading. /internet is dumb (kind of)
OK. Now time for the big boys, the PDFs. I am giving this a second chance, just to be (un)fair I because I honestly thought this might have a provoking argument. I was scared. Well... I gave it an honest effort guys, I don't know what to say.
"For many years, opponents of marijuana policy reform have claimed that while marijuana itself
may not be as dangerous as so-called 'hard drugs' like cocaine or heroin, it is a gateway drug
that leads users down a path toward use of those more dangerous substances. This, despite the
fact over 107 million Americans — more than 40% of the U.S. population born since 1960 —
have tried marijuana, yet only 37 million have tried cocaine, only four million have ever tried
heroin, and less than one-tenth of one percent of Americans used either in the last month.
Fortunately, science has weighed in, and nearly every researcher who has ever looked into the
question has determined that marijuana use is not a causal factor in the subsequent use of more
dangerous drugs. Rather, marijuana is simply the first (or more likely, third, after alcohol and
cigarettes) in a normal progression to more dangerous substances among those predisposed to
use such drugs.
In fact, some researchers believe that it is marijuana’s illegal status that is the real gateway.
Because marijuana is illegal, those who seek to buy it must obtain it from criminal drug dealers
who often maintain an inventory of other drugs and have an incentive to expand their market to
new users. This exposure to the illicit market — and peer groups that are willing to engage in
drug use — can lead individuals to use of more dangerous drugs. Researchers also identified
socio-economic factors like employment and educational attainment influence the likelihood of
substance abuse. Marijuana’s illegal status means that an arrest for marijuana possession, and the
collateral educational and employment consequences that come with it, could lead to later
substance use."
This is like a game of spot the fallacy. Damn. Most researchers agree? Well whoopty-do. Some researchers believe? Jesus christ on a pogo-stick.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...a5_QmRRIb-WEP8ihQ&sig2=iM8xOK_SAMJ8TQ8lN1LUEA
For those with clearly nothing but time on their hands. I did dig this up as well.
Mind you, these are mostly all from the same search 'marijuana gateway'. Feel free to check that. It is not like I moved the boat around looking for certain material to make a point.
Looks "legit".
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...6I8WqQc77NQumkxrQ&sig2=0mVH1H2mgDOSVJeVD2dXjg
This looks good, but I'm tired (that's right I have to declare sleep these days) so I'll give it a more serious look. It looks like it has some decent info to it.
(Sorry for piggie-backing your discussion with this elephant post, just felt like sharing) !!!
