ipl-logo

The Gateway Theory Essay

403 Words2 Pages

There has been controversial theories developed to define whether “Gateway” theory is the single hypothesis to explain drug phenomena and solution for increased drug issues. “Gateway” theory depicts pattern of drug use which has a sequence started from legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco to partially legalized Marijuana which eventually proceeds to illegal polysubstance drugs like Methamphetamines, Heroin and cocaine (Kendal, 2002, P.1). At the same time, there are other factors to consider drug sequences and causation to proceed to hard core drugs. Some researchers argued that legalized drugs using in early teenagers and adulthood period changed to biology, sensitivity and approach towards the hard core illicit drugs in later life. Currently …show more content…

Firstly, “Gateway theory” has been verified by several researchers. Maldonado- Molina (2010, p.913) supported that there were clear order which particular drug is tried prior to the other drugs and generally hard stage drugs is more than those who tried previous lower stage or soft drugs before. The author (Maldonado-Molina, 2010, p. 913) concluded that both alcohol and cigarettes initiate marijuana as a gateway drugs and even between legal substances has got gateway factors which alcohol function as a gateway substance for cigarette.
Especially, there was approximately 85 times higher risks of illicit substance misuse for the adolescent marijuana users compared to non-marihuana users which the U.S.A study found (Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse 1994, cited in Morral, McCaffrey and Paddock, 2002, P. 1494). In addition, there was also study in New Zealand argued that frequent marijuana users in adolescent had 140 times higher risk to develop to hard stage of drugs use compared to non- marijuana users. (Fergusson & Horwood, 2000, cited in Morral, McCaffrey and Paddock, 2002, P.

Show More
Related
1939 Words | 8 Pages

636). Thus, they argue that the legalization of marijuana, should be similar to those of alcohol and tobacco where there are regulations for the sale to minimize any health related problems it may cause (Joffe & Yancy, 2004, p. 636). Additionally, tobacco and alcohol are among the most abused substances used by adolescents; despite having regulations for their sales through enforcing legal ages for purchase, they still find ways to purchase and consume these substances. Moreover, the legalization of marijuana would assist in pain relief as a less toxic, addictive and essentially safer drug in comparison to what some individuals use for chronic pain such as opiates and alcohol. It has been reported that there has been 25% of a decrease in the deaths related to opiate overdose; essentially, marijuana could contribute to the harm reduction that other substances cause (Mitchell 2016, p. 63)

Read More
338 Words | 2 Pages

(Kindlon & Thompson, 1999, p. 255). For me personally, and in Kindlon & Thompson

Read More
1534 Words | 7 Pages

The previous decades saw increased the decriminalization of certain drugs, such as marijuana, as they began to be used more casually. However, the 1980s and the specifically the Reagan administration saw the “War on Drugs” start. Led by Nancy Reagan, the “Just Say No” campaign dominated the headlines as parents became concerned about their children using drugs (Goode & Ben-Yehuda, n.d.). Under new leadership, the government began to criminalize drug use to unprecedented levels.

Read More
121 Words | 1 Pages

The term "gateway drug" has been long disputed around the nation. Personally I believe there is such thing as a gateway drug. Many people, especially teenagers are exposed to marijuana. Since it is the most used illicit drug, it is often readily available. This makes it easier for people to try it.

Read More
1077 Words | 5 Pages

The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates.

Read More
733 Words | 3 Pages

(Emanuel and Fuchs, 2005). References Emanuel, E. & Fuchs, V. (2005). Solved! Washington Monthly, Vol.

Read More
1380 Words | 6 Pages

(Durose, Cooper, & Snyder, 2014, p.

Read More
1015 Words | 5 Pages

In today’s society, substance abuse is a serious issue that has many explanations as to why it occurs. Peer pressure, boredom, rebellion, etc., are all common examples of why a person uses drugs and alcohol but there is more depth to it. Individuals will often get blamed or judged on the actions they perform and do not usually think of society itself as a factor. There are relatively stable patterns of social relations that contribute to the values and decisions of humans. Three levels of social structures that surround and permeate us are macrostructures, microstructures, and patriarchy.

Read More
402 Words | 2 Pages

Teenagers who smoke weed are more likely to move on to harder drugs, and it prevents their mind from developing properly. In a study by Lancet Psychiatry, it was reported that teenagers who smoked marijuana daily were 60 percent less likely to graduate from high school than students who did not use. In

Read More
1507 Words | 7 Pages

In recent years in Belize, decriminalization of 10 grams or less of Marijuana is one of the most controversial subjects. Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drug in Belize. Marijuana, since its discovery, has been used as a recreational drug by many individuals. Although Marijuana is an illegal drug in Belize, “it is very much a part of many Belizean’s lifestyles and it is use mainly by young people” (NIH, 2017). With the new amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act, an adult will now be able to possess and smoke up to 10 grams of marijuana in the privacy of his/her home and in someone’s house or in a hotel room with the consent of the owner.

Read More
1114 Words | 5 Pages

As we can see by the four different development domains, the abuse of substances has several negative outcomes and can be severely detrimental to the abuser. Although it is difficult to stop the abuse of substances, people who are dealing with this issue should seek help. Relying on drugs is

Read More
784 Words | 4 Pages

The slippery slope claim that marijuana is a gateway drug to harder, more dangerous substances is a logical fallacy in and of itself. The argument rests solely upon the assumption that if one tries marijuana, the logical next course of action one would take is to move on to cocaine, or heroin, or any other dangerous hallucinogen. This simply is not a valid claim to make. Certainly, some people who smoke marijuana will go on to do other drugs, but with more than 40% of Americans reporting that they have smoked marijuana once in their lives, it is evident that facts and statistics do not corroborate the slippery slope argument (Miliard). The likelihood that more than 40%

Read More
1455 Words | 6 Pages

Two other theories are discussed in chapter 12 regarding drugs and crime: drug enslavement theory and general deviance syndrome theory. The book states that according to drug enslavement theory, “Drug users are forced into a life of crime because they cannot afford to pay for their drug habits unless they use crime to get money for their next fix” (Thio, 2013, pg. 311). The book states that according to general deviance syndrome theory, “The high correlation between drug use and crime does not mean that drug use causes crime because most drug users with a criminal record have committed crime before using drugs” (Thio, 2013, pg. 311). Both theories suggest that using drugs and committing crimes are related. Therefore, if marijuana use is legalized, the assumption can be made that there would essentially be some kind of decline in crime in regard to marijuana charges.

Read More
986 Words | 4 Pages

Recently, people being calling that they have freedom to do what the want—using drugs, and proposing legalizing using drugs. This essay will discuss drug legalization issues only in America by giving valid data and considerate suggestion to explain why researcher believes drug should be legalized in the U.S. Drug can lead to multiple social problems and potential threats in most case, and there are several reasons why the US is currently suffering from serious drug problems. The US has a great amount drug user: according to the statistics provided by the U.S Federal Government, An estimated 3.6 million people met diagnostic criteria for dependence on illegal drugs in 1999, including 800,000 youths between the ages of twelve and seventeen (America’s Drug Use Profile, p.1). In recent years, there has been a worrying trend of young drug addiction and the lower age of drug users. Age between 18-25 years, current use of any illegal drug has been rising since 1994 and currently stands at 18.8 percent.

Read More
1028 Words | 5 Pages

Drug abuse is caused by psychological, genetic as well as environmental factors and can have significant damaging effects on health. Psychological factors are associated with the development of drug abuse. Drug abuse often occurs

Read More

More about The Gateway Theory Essay

Related Topics

Open Document