Marijuana is not a “gateway” drug that predicts or eventually leads to substance abuse, suggests a 12-year University of Pittsburgh study. Moreover, the study’s findings call into question the long-held belief that has shaped prevention efforts and governmental policy for six decades and caused many a parent to panic upon discovering a bag of pot in their child’s bedroom.
The Pitt researchers tracked 214 boys beginning at ages 10-12, all of whom eventually used either legal or illegal drugs. When the boys reached age 22, they were categorized into three groups: those who used only alcohol or tobacco, those who started with alcohol and tobacco and then used marijuana (gateway sequence) and those who used marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco (reverse sequence).
Nearly a quarter of the study population who used both legal and illegal drugs at some point – 28 boys – exhibited the reverse pattern of using marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco, and those individuals were no more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who followed the traditional succession of alcohol and tobacco before illegal drugs, according to the study, which appears in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
“The gateway progression may be the most common pattern, but it’s certainly not the only order of drug use,” said Ralph E. Tarter, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and lead author of the study. “In fact, the reverse pattern is just as accurate for predicting who might be at risk for developing a drug dependence disorder.”
In addition to determining whether the gateway hypothesis was a better predictor of substance abuse than competing theories, the investigators sought to identify characteristics that distinguished users in the gateway sequence from those who took the reverse path. Out of the 35 variables they examined, only three emerged to be differentiating factors: Reverse pattern users were more likely to have lived in poor physical neighborhood environments, had more exposure to drugs in their neighborhoods and had less parental involvement as young children. Most importantly, a general inclination for deviance from sanctioned behaviors, which can become evident early in childhood, was strongly associated with all illicit drug use, whether it came in the gateway sequence, or the reverse.
While the gateway theory posits that each type of drug is associated with certain specific risk factors that cause the use of subsequent drugs, such as cigarettes or alcohol leading to marijuana, this study’s findings indicate that environmental aspects have stronger influence on which type of substance is used. That is, if it’s easier for a teen to get his hands on marijuana than beer, then he’ll be more likely to smoke pot. This evidence supports what’s known as the common liability model, an emerging theory that states the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug but instead by the user’s individual tendencies and environmental circumstances.
“The emphasis on the drugs themselves, rather than other, more important factors that shape a person’s behavior, has been detrimental to drug policy and prevention programs,” Dr. Tarter said. “To become more effective in our efforts to fight drug abuse, we should devote more attention to interventions that address these issues, particularly to parenting skills that shape the child’s behavior as well as peer and neighborhood environments.”
Indeed, according to the study, interventions focusing on behavior modification may be more effective prevention tactics than current anti-drug initiatives. For example, providing guidance to parents – particularly those in high-risk neighborhoods – on how to boost their caregiving skills and foster bonding with their children, could have a measurable effect on a child’s likelihood to smoke marijuana. Also, early identification of children who exhibit antisocial tendencies could allow for interventions before drug use even begins.
Although this research has significant implications for drug abuse prevention approaches, Dr. Tarter notes that the study has some limitations. First, as only male behaviors were studied, further investigation should explore if the results apply to women as well. Also, the examination of behaviors in phases beyond alcohol and marijuana consumption in the gateway series will be necessary.
From University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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I agree with Rico Marsh 100 percent! As fellow shitfaces…we must stand up for each other.
Shitface Out.
Society in this day and age claims that the use of marijuana has a negative impact on the youth and they express that this ‘drug’ is addictive. I have to disagree since recent studies has proven that the use of this herb (yes, it’s a herb and not a drug in my opinion) has helped reduce the consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking among youth (http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugpages/MTF.html).
Through my experiences i believe that youth, especially students, needs ways to relax and relieve their stress. They usually turn to alcohol to do this and usually get into trouble because they drove being drunk or they got into a fight since alcohol makes people aggressive but cannabis on the other hand helps people ‘mellow out’. I know that most people use both alcohol and cannabis to have a good time but if people, especially the youth, are aware of the dangers of using both, they will realize it and improve to use it better to have a fun time. Recent studies also indicate that crime is reduced in states that have legalized the smoking of cannabis.
Cannabis can be used to reduce the percentage of anorexia. Since smoking the ‘herb’ gives people an appetite, they will feel forced to eat and therefore gain weight. And since smoking cannabis makes you feel ‘high’, anorexic people will enjoy that feeling and keep on smoking.
Although studies indicate that the smoking of cannabis is addictive, it is used for medical purposes. It helps cancer patients cope with the pain and it’s not that expensive as pain killers. If people smoke it now and then and at certain times, then they won’t get easily addicted and they will still be productive at work or school. I know studies show that the consumption of weed from dealers affect people’s health so why not legalize cannabis everywhere so that people won’t have to buy it at dealers, therefore they won’t buy crappy weed which affects their health.
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Nice blog. I want to know more about this in future. Keep informing us.
Thanks for the above information. nice post. I got lots of information from your blog.
How did the researchers know the young men were telling the truth about their use of other illegal drugs? The boys weren’t held in captivity in the same place and subjected to the same conditions i.e. this was not a fair test.
i.e. shut the f*** up, marijuanna saved my life and iv been using it for 16 years strait, never even wanted to do another drug, and just cuz they werent in captivity doesnt mean they werent telling the truth, y would they lie?
Cannabis is not a drug its medicine. Especially when vaporized. Its about time the general public recognizes it as such.
WEED IS THE S*** GET ALL THAT BULLS*** YOU KNOW OUT OF YOUR THICK SKULL OF YOURS, STOP BEING A F****** DUMB ASS RABBIT TURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
F*** YOU!
Just kidding ive never touched it, im clean!!!!!
I’m glad you said that because that comment you made was very ignorant.
ok mark how bout you shut up
I SMOKE A SHIT TON, AND I F****** LOVE THIS SHIT!!!!! NEVER BEEN CAUGHT AND NEVER WILL!!!! N******!!!!!!!!!!
Your friends moved on to harder drugs because your friends wanted to do harder drugs. Smoking weed does not make you want to do other drugs, but wanting to do other drugs is the reason people do other drugs. Also there are many intelligent and successful people who smoke cannabis. But you never hear about those people because they don’t help the anti-pot movement. I don’t want to sound some kind of radical and like I only spout baseless conspiracy theories, but half the things most people know about cannabis is wrong. Sadly though, the burden of proof is on the pro-pot movement. People believe the governments lies and misleading statistics. Like they say most people who go to rehab do it for pot when most people who go are court-ordered to in order to avoid jail or go to avoid losing their jobs. Only about 9% of people become addicted and the withdrawal symptoms are mild so unless someone has an underlying cause for why they smoke they usually can quit easily without help. Also, marijuana does not make you stupid or lazy. If someone is lazy they will be lazy when they smoke. If someone has a hard time in school they will have a hard time in school, but that isnt to say that getting high wont make it hard to take in new information. It’s up to that person to take personal responsibility and understand that cannabis can alter short-term memory and that smoking 24/7 when you are having a hard time in school is not the best of ideas. They can only blame themselves for their own problems in life when they could have quit anytime they want.(Then again if they get arrested for possession and can’t get a job I blame the cops for that. Cannabis should be legal but I do concede that the user does have to take some responsibility for being caught in the first place.)
31/2 centuries ago,my ancestor developed hemp paper,so fine that, not only was he granted the position of Director of the first U.S.Mint,his fondness for astronomy was immortalized on our nations flag.His paper press in Philadelphia made him a “patriot and Hero”(according to Ben Franklin).He is David Rittenhouse.
Fast foreward to 2004,I am arrested and jailed for 6 months for using the same plant to treat a diagnosed psychological disorder.He was a patriot,I am unemployable(according to my piss test)
sincerely go f*** yourself Uncle Sam,Michael Rittenhouse Rigby
Yep, f our Government, you have to realize within the next 30 years, maybe 40, everything will change, I’m positive that marijuana will be legalized withing the next 5, everyone will start to realize that the Government serves no purpose to us. It was established by the people, for the people, since over half of American’s want it legalize that have no choice. I mean, what it seems like they want to do is lock up half of America. Also realize, all you people who think this hurts our youth, you cannot hide the bad in the world from them, know that there are gangsters on every corner killing each other, know that there is a gun shop on every corner, know that there are porn stores on every corner, yet no one talks about those things. To compare any of those thing to marijuana is a joke that I laugh at every time I think about it. This is ridiculous, and until everyone sees that the government just want to control everything, nothing will ever change. REVOLUTION!
I know everyone says that pot isn’t like addicting or whatever but if it’s not addicting why was it all that ran through my head when I tried to quit so many times before I actually found a program that really worked for me? I was what you would call and complete an utter “pothead!” I smoked when I woke up, I smoked before and after I ate a meal, I smoked before bed! All I did was smoke weed! Then one day something happened to me and I realized, ” ideally have to stop!” I was spending sooooo much money and wasting my life away with marijuana! So I searche the Internet for ways to stop. I bought multiple programs before I gave up and just kept on smoking. Then one day my brother told me about the program he had ordered a few months back. He had been clean for 57 days and is still counting! I was so proud yet so Jealous but before all of that, I was curious how he found something that worked and I didn’t! So I ordered the ” Caninis Coach: Quit Smoking Marijuana 5-disc Audio program for myself. I mean, I had already spent a couple hundred on things that didn’t do crap for helping me, why not spend $40 for something that had worked for my blood? I am now 42 days sober and getting ready to start attending the Paul Mitchell hair school I had been wanton to attend since as far back as I can remember! I am so proud of myself and I wish that anything with a marijuana habit could see what being sober and doing something with your life does to a person! I am so happy! No more depression, no more anxiety, no more other drugs just to try and get my mind off the green! I think that anyone who’s really serious about getting sober and being somebody who can say “I’m proud of myself!” should be serious enough to spend $40 to kick your habit for the rest of your life! Atleast go to the website and check it all out! I can give you my 42 days sober word, if your serious about it, this program is definitely the way to go!!!
Here’s a link for anyone interested,
http://8191dt57sxngvla3klc6ju8zf0.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=CANICOACH1
Different people have different aspects on thing and you became addicted … I have’nt and I’ve been smoking herbs for several years now… Its just you
Cannabis is NOT addictive, however tobacco is, so are the chemicals used when growing non organic. Therefore if you are addicted to something, I suggest you find out what you are genuinely addicted to and stop blaming the one thing that can cure any addiction.
Ignorance is not bliss it is simply ignorance, try educating yourself and stop being a sheeple.
Nice marketing effort. Too bad your claims are not supported by science. Go sell your “Snake Oil” somewhere else.
you used a program to quit weed? You are weak and watch too much TV weed is mentaly addictive just like TV or the Internet. You suck as a person.
1. A UCLA study was unable to link marijuana use with cancer so that argument is out
2. You cannot overdose and die from marijuana use.
3. It is only a gateway drug because it is grouped and sold along with the other illegal drugs.
4. It is less addictive than caffeine.
5. 20 million americans smoke it so it isn’t going away!
Is there really any good reason it shouldn’t be legalized?
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Yeah buddy! They should just legalize this shit already.
Marijuana IS a gateway drug, for more marijuana.
I would just like to point out that the title of this page is “study says marijuana no gateway drug.” I agree though that marijuana isn’t a gateway drug.
i think it depends on the person some people like me smoke pot and thats it we are happy with it then there are other people who will stop at nothing to get a better high everytime so eventually they start doing more hardcore things..heres my blog about medical marijuana http://medical-marijuana2.blogspot.com/
weed IS NOT A DRUG ITS A PLANT
peace
420
Hi,
I went through your article and it seems very interesting. I have written a blogpost based on my personal experiences of having taken marijuana and what sort of cognitive and psychologically positive effects it could have. I would like you to go through it and would be great if I could get some sort of feedback on it. Thanks.
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I am working at Utah drug rehab center and there are a lot of people especially teenagers who are comming every year in order to treat their drug addiction.When asked how they’ve started taking drugs,lots of them answered that everything started with marijuana.First for curiosity,than for pleasure and finally as a habit.
These statements are not equivalent:
1) Most people who go on to abuse hard drugs first try “soft” drugs.
2) Most people who try “soft” drugs will go on to abuse hard drugs.
Not at all.
Of course people don’t go from drinking soda pop to injecting crystal meth. They try alcohol, tobacco, and pot first; the first two being legal and the last correctly perceived as non-addictive except in people who would get addicted to anything.
And most people who try pot are like me. I tried it. A few times. It was interesting enough to try a few times but not more than that. It’s just not a very compelling drug. It doesn’t act on the pleasure centers of the brain, so that is no surprise. I certainly had and have no intention of getting addicted to nicotine, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, or anything else that’s really addictive; I have no intention of trying them; never have, never will.
I also have no particular intention of smoking pot again. It was interesting. Not worth getting busted over or even the fuzzy feeling it left in my head.
Basically, it put me to sleep. Melatonin does that better.
Not worth getting busted over until, you require it for medical purpose, then it is more than worth getting busted over.
I use it for medical, and with the latest science, it should be available to every single person on our planet to use, to prevent and cure almost any illness.
Perhaps if everyone started thinking of Hemp/Cannabis as the valuable herb it is and stop thinking of it as the rebellion of their younger days, we might actually get somewhere in this debate.
Personally I am sick of those who used during their teens as a sign of their rebellion against authority, yet today demand it stays illegal when most of us use it medically, not to get stoned/drunk.
Earlier we have only ethical drugs ,after than some companies introduced general companies in Pharmaceutical Industry.Now is going to generic from big companies like Ranbaxy, Cipla,Elder. Those companies only thinking for money, better previous like ethical method is best for people for fast releaf who ever suffer from disease.
—————————
Thomson
I have blazed for a few years and even done some halusnagens. Yet I found that it wasnt until Tobacco was rolled into joints that my friends started going down hill. We went from hiking and hangingout in the wilderness to trying to be super cool and smoke cigs in more dingy places. I am in my 2nd year of University and havent smoked pot for a year and a half. Yet all my friends who started smoking cigerettes heavily are still in my home town with no job. Cigerettes are a gateway to being a lazy, unhealthy, and toxic smelling skid. Very few heavy smokers are succesful in todays society becuase they use them symbolically to better themsleves instead of actaully doing it. Cigs dont span creativity or help in medical use, and we have to pay taxes to pay for smokers healthcare….. Yet they are legal.
I’ve tried almost every drug I ever came across. It wasn’t because pot was a gateway it was because I was lied to by adults my whole life about pot so when I eventually tried it I no longer believed what was said about cocaine, ecstasy, etc.
Alcohol is the only drug that I have ever had a bad experience with.
anyone who says marijuana is a gateway drug is an ass….or a republican.
pot just makes an already weak person an even weaker piece of shit.
I’ve smoked for many years and have come across many weak people.
they smoke and turn into zombies.
i smoke and want to do things….make things…read….figure things out.
it doesn’t make me want to shoot heroin or snort coke.
it DOES, however, make me want to eat cheeseburgers and play video games sometimes.
So you are criticizing both sides of the argument with biased opinions. According to you, anyone agreeing with marijuana as a gateway is an ass; but, everyone smoking it is a lazy zombie. Oh, except for you, of course…..even though it makes you eat cheeseburgers and play video games. lol. Get your story straight, son.
Uhh Leon, I don’t think you and I are reading the same post. It looks like Warren is saying that there are two types of pot smokers: Those who are mature enough to handle it and those who aren’t.
You should get your facts straight before you criticize and condescend others, son.
Marijuana is absolutely a gateway drug. All the junkie scum I know started with pot and went balls deep with the filthier stuff.
It’s all in the company you keep. I have been a pot smoker for 15 years and NEVER ONCE tried anything harder that weed. None of my friends ever did either, so I believe its in the company you keep. My brother started with weed and moved up to harder stuff before hitting the bottom with crank, but he hung out with a lot of people that didn’t like the mellow high that weed gives you and wanted something to keep them going all freakin’ night, so again, you have a case of “It’s all in the company you keep”. Weed is NOT a gateway drug… Just about everything besides it IS. Get your head straight.
That’s funny, because all the junkie scum *I* know started with milk when they were kids. By your reasoning, milk’s more of a gateway drug than marijuana.
Seriously flawed “logic.” Milk? That doesn’t even make sense. So, you’re saying food is a gateway drug?
It’s called an analogy. He’s pointing out that you can’t call marijuana a gateway drug just because some people you know smoked marijuana and later did other drugs for the same reason you can’t say milk is a gateway food because everyone drinks milk before they drink soda.
Well what the f*** is wrong with YOU that you know so many junkies. I don’t know any junkies, only people who smoke pot
I work in rehab as a drug and alcohol counsellor and I am a reformed cannabis smoker and poly drug user. My professional and personal experience would contradict this report.
A control group of 214 can hardly be truely representative can it?
maybe for you but in my own experience also, alcohol was drank before i smoked pot, i have had the desire to snort coke, and shoot up heroine when the time finely came, i said naw, im good. still smoke weed. been 8 years, and shrooms are the only other drug i like…alcohol is the gateway drug kids grow up with it from parents. my own dad would trick me into drinkin beer i still am disgusted by its flavor. weed is an amazing antidepressant and helps with my migraines. alcohol gives these two to me the next morning. maybe your failing cause you should look at teaching control instead of desolation of drugs, teach people to use for the effects of enhancing their life not to escape it or fly away in some dream
hi I am 17 and I smoked marijuana before ever drinking alcohol. I still can get weed easier then alc. I enjoy both, alc for when i’m doing doing mindless partying and weed for when I want to just hangout. I think weed is way more available because there are designated people you can get it from. I just want to put my voice out there and say that a lot of my friends did weed before tobacco and alc. (I deeply dislike people who smoke tobacco) none of us have ever done anything harder then “weed” (I believe alc is harder then weed but that’s my opinion, also I’ve never heard of anyone dying on overdose or quitting..) I can think of 3 people who have done stronger drugs then weed they all were heavy drinkers usually blacked out often
Speaking of representative samples, how do you fail to see the sample bias of your own interactions? You’re a drug and alcohol counsellor (though it’s odd that you separate alcohol from drugs), so naturally those you come into contact with are the ones who have had problems with drugs. I doubt someone who recreationally smokes marijuana but has refused other drugs offered to them would turn to you for counselling. They don’t because they don’t need your assistance.
What you’re saying is basically the equivalent of a marriage counsellor saying that all marriages are doomed, because they only ever deal with troubled marriages. It’s not true, just as your experiences tell us little about the actual causes of drug abuse.
This!
Perfectly summarizes exactly what I was thinking reading his comment. Thank you!
Oh look, someone who have a financially vested interest in the big lie disagrees. I’m shocked.
“A control group of 214 can hardly be truely representative can it?”
Yet you expect your single misspelled internet testimony to be more compelling somehow?
And who is to say that an addictive personality is not to blame? Some people taste chocolate and are hooked, than they get fat, diabetes, have a heart attack and die. Now should we call chocolate a drug just because someone can’t control cravings?
I not insulting you I just hate that one experience for a person should be all we think about.
Because your control group of 0 compared to your experimental group of 1, combined with your personal bias in the experiment, would like to argue with their data?
Really?
So we should listen to your obviously biased, unscientific, personal observations instead of the findings of a real scientific study?
Really?
The worst non smokers are ex-smokers, the worst non drinkers are ex-alcoholics, the worst non racists are ex-racists, the worst non drug users are ex-drug users and so on….
So I contend that it is more hypocritic than anything when one of these begins to teach against any of their old habits.
I suppose you teach how the Alaskan Indian is the most susceptible to alcoholism and the worst alcoholism in the nation is in Alaska.
Do you know where the least alcoholism is…. Utah, do you know where the highest suicide rate in the nation is…. you guessed it Utah.
I totally agree, weed is not a gateway drug at all. The only reason it’s even “considered” such is because of it’s “illegal” status that forces it to be sold by the same people that sell actual hard drugs and.
Kind of hilarious that this says it’s not a gateway drug, but the ads from drugfreeworld say the exact opposite.
But these are studies from people with preconceptions, they say it is and they find a way to prove it through yellow journalism. look at studies that have no starting opinion and that revolve around simple facts. That, my friend, is science, not twisting ideas and stats to make people believe what you believe.
but zach you say these studies are from people with preconceptions? no, wrong! studies weigh out each side equally, hes not saying that marijuana IS NOT a gateway hes just proving to people that marijuana isnt the only gateway like people had previously ASSUMED hes proving that nicotine alcohole and marijuana are indeed gateways but marijuana is not the #1 gateway or #4 it is all circumstacial if a kid has access to drugs, whichever is most convienient they would probably go with so if a kid has an older brother that can buy beer hes probably going to drink because of the easy accesibility if his brother sold weed he would probably buy the weed ….but he did this not to legalize!! BUT to show to others with facts and 12 years of reasearch, proving other peoples theories, misconceptions and opinions obviously wrong because thats ALL they were
definitely agree with you james, however i wouldnt say i completely agree with this study, as ive had an alcoholic father for years, which has actually made me not want to be a drinker, despite having frequent access to it. weed on the other hand is something i had to seek out to try. the ‘gateway’ theory is hogwash if you ask me, people will do what they prefer to do, and blaming extenuating circumstances of any kind, whether it be ‘cigs led me to crack’ or ‘booze was always around’ just doesnt make much sense. it all comes down to a persons curiosity, and beyond that they can decide for themselves, the drugs arent deciding for them, people.
I think it’s only a gateway drug because of the prohibition against it, if you didn’t have to go to a drugdealer to get it, you’d be much less likely to even be introduced to the more harder drugs.
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i enjoy your article. great job. keep it simple
The truth! Marijuana will never cause “side effects” such as hallucinations, where a simple prescribe drug will. IE.
Celexa is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by restoring the balance of serotonin, a natural occuring substance found in the brain, which helps to improve certain mood problems.
WARNING: You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment with Celexa.
Fact speak for themselves.
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Sales of legal drugs that mimic cocaine skyrocket
By Jennifer Hough
Monday, January 11, 2010
“ALTERNATIVE lifestyle” shops around the country have been selling out of new legal drugs which recreational users are substituting for cocaine.
They are labelled as plant food or novelty bath salts “not for human consumption”.
Their user-friendly names are Charge, White Ice or Snowblow and they cost about € 30 a gram.
Synthesised in laboratories to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines, legal powder substances on sale in head shops – retail outlets that specialise in drug paraphernalia – are the latest craze to hit the legal drugs trade.
Industry sources have indicated sales of the substances – Snowblow is advertised as a BZP-free Columbian powder substitute – have skyrocketed in recent months, sometimes even selling out on busy weekends.
Ingredients, according to their packaging, are caffeine and other herbal extracts and vitamins, but it is known they contain drugs called flephedrone mephedrone, street name mcat, or methylone.
The rise in mephedrone use came following the ban of another drug, BZP, in March last year.
Mephedrone has already been banned in Sweden (where it was linked to the death of a young woman in 2008), Denmark and Israel.
But it is legal elsewhere because it is not derived from any of the banned Class A drugs.
It comes instead from a compound of cathinone, which is a Class C drug, and derivatives of this drug are not currently controlled.
While little is known about the drugs, side-effects are said to include nose bleeds, nose burns, hallucinations, blood circulation problems, rashes, anxiety, paranoia, fits and delusions.
Senior lecturer in pharmacology at University College Cork, Dr John Cryan, said products like Charge and White Ice comprise chemicals which are structurally not so different from those used in illicit substances.
The biggest exporter of legal powders are China, the powders can easily be ordered in large volumes. A striking example of this is the site: http://legalpowder.cn.com
Off course it’s not a gateway drug, it’s simply government propaganda.
Growing Weed
your right its not a gateway drug. Watch the Union. It shows all the lies the government says about weed
Deaths in the United States in a typical year
•Tobacco kills about 400,000
•Alcohol kills about 80,000
•Workplace accidents kill 60,000
•Automobiles kill 40,000
•Cocaine kills about 2,500
•Heroin kills about 2,000
•Aspirin kills about 2,000
•Marijuana kills 0
You got that right weed does not kill any body
I know this isn’t what you meant, but there are deaths recorded that are due to marijuana use. Medical marijuana users have been denied healthcare (denied life saving transplants because of their legal use of cannabis). They didn’t die directly from marijuana use, but they could have possibly lived if they were not denied healthcare because of their marijuana use. It’s a messed up world we live in. http://www.komonews.com/news/18475224.html
i smoke pot every day…….i am 15 and i was doing cocain for 13 months….weed did lead me to it….but it was not weed that did that. it was me….whoever says its a gateway drug never did it….weed and lsd is positive…harder stuff sucks man…
Thanks for sharing information for marijuana I really impressed and want some more stuffs again for this post.
hi, my name is adam im 16, yes 16 and i’ve been smoking weed since i was 10 or so, honestly its been a positive effect on “my life” my grades in school have went from mybe D- and F to B and A’s when i first tried it i was like what ever it was just a first time thing. i smoked weed agian was i was in 8th grade and my grades were trash at that point but i starting smoking more offten and my grades started to go up, but it was getting to risky for me and cost for the weed was to much “rember i was an 8th grader at that point” so i decided it was over rated, but then agian started to smoke pot in the 9th grade i was smoking mybe once a month and my grades or ok but then my 10th and 11th year have been great smoking weed almost everday i have mostly A’s and no disapline issues the only negatives i have are short term memory loss, lazyness, and a mad case of the muchies which isnt bad because i am a skinny 6’1 guy who needs to put on weight, also i have been ditching to much school.If anyone or any parents want to talk to a kid who had first had exp. right at this point in life just reply back
aka Rastaman lol new nick name from friends
have a nice day hope u learned somthing new
p.s im going to ditch tommorw and smoke and i made pormise it will be my last time and i will need to to keep my promise so some write back and check up on my goal =]
You know Rastaman..
Perhaps you should rearrange your priorities. Marijuana is a very severe drug, and it causes severe harm to your nervous system.
“Only memory loss”. Typically, when a human being tries to recall certain things, it’s usually at a lightning speed. After alchohol or tabacco use, those nervous instincts are often slowed down.
After Marijuana, memory loss kicks in, and it eventually becomes an obstacle in many things.
Try not to skip, skipping makes causes you to delay on schoolwork.
A 16 year old youth shouldn’t be smoking weed. They should be in school, and doing things that are fun, but also harmless to themselves.
Trust me, I should know.
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“Typically, when a human being tries to recall certain things, it’s usually at a lightning speed.”
Can I have what you’re smoking? You seriously can’t be serious.
Lol did you stop?
I’m 17 years old. I have been smoking for over a year now every other day or so. Marijuana,Weed,Pot,Cannabis, whatever doesn’t make me want to skip school, it actually makes me want to prove a point. Weed doesn’t effect my school work one bit. I’m an average high school student with C’s,B’s,and A’s like i have done before smoking and still getting those grades with smoking. i had problems going to bed at night since I’ve been about 13.Marijuana has helped me fall asleep at about 10 every night. because of this i can wake up early go to school and not fall asleep in class. Calling Weed a Gateway drug isn’t very bright. One day you just don’t start smoking and think to yourself…. ” Dude i totally want to do some Crack now.” It doesn’t work that way. The point I’m trying to make is that you priority’s on life don’t change.If they do its not because of weed its because of you.
I highly doubt marijuana had anything to do with your grades improving. You were probably just more motivated to get better grades and decided to study harder.
The study should be done on more than 214 boys. And have females participate too. This needs to be more accurate. Or how is it true? What population did you survey? What kind of environments do these boys live in?
Marijuana was only outlawed from white people in power because colored people used it. I still think that a person n=may need Drug Rehab if marijuana affects their life negatively.
Marijuana was actually outlawed because it would have been one of the most used materials in the U.S. such as clothing, fuel and other commodities. It would have taken a huge revenue from cotton, tobacco, linen, and others. So the big wigs of these manufacturers had pull with people in the government to have it outlawed.
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F the government
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It wasn’t outlawed til 1937 & is still legal on the federal level.I find it interesting that the ones in charge of outlawing it do not seem to suffer the ill effects suggested. It brings me to another theory…Aliens in the white house JK lol.
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I think it is amazing how false information can be so well promoted and credited, Marijuana is one of the best and safest herbs to use. It is natural, no possible overdose, has medical uses, and it has various methods of admissioin besides smoking.
I have never heared of a long time weed smoker get cancer but I have know countless young tobacco smokers die from cancer and heart problems.
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Think again Anonimo! How about Bob Marley? He sure as hell died of cancer. Marijuana smoke contains significantly more poisonous substances and 10 times as much tar (if not more). Maybe there is no proven link (yet) between weed smoking and cancer but that doesn’t mean a thing. Weed might be good fun and an ‘appropriate’ drug, but it brings serious health risks. Especially for long time users. Not to mention psychological problems too.
Wow, you really don’t know your facts. First off, yes Bob Marley did die from cancer, however, it was not from smoking weed. in 1977 he injured his foot while playing soccer with some friends. The wound seemed pretty extreme for a simple soccer injury, and when it got worse instead of healing, he decided to see a doctor. Marley was diagnosed with melanoma, and an amputation of the toe was recommended. Now you saying that weed has 10 times as much tar than tobacco is completely false. Weed does have tar in it, however there’s only 33 % of the amount of tar in tobacco. And WEED DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER!
The smoke from weed can cause cancer… I’m sure you wouldn’t dispute that the smoke in cigarettes that goes straight to the lungs contains carcinogens and then enters the bloodstream traveling through the body… Marijuana smoke contains 50–70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.
You’re disregarding the fact that cannabinoids, the active ingredients in marijuana, have anti-carcinogenic properties. Smoking marijuana delivers no net increase in cancer likelyhood to the lungs because the anti-carcinogens cancel out any carcinogens derived from the burning plant matter.
When you eat it or vape it, the anti-cancer effects are even more profound.
Alex thank you for being a smart kid. lol
if marijuana causes lung cancer or other diseases that tobacco causes why has that link not been proven? we have had alot of experience smoking tobacco and we know that it causes 438,000 deaths a year in the U.S.S. alone… we also know that 1 of 10,000 deaths per year is from coffee!!! so don’t you think that something like this would have come up from marijuana?
Since Marijuana is illegal, statistics can often not be correctly achieved.
For example: a group does an anonymous survey on groups of marijuana users.
If the government bothers, they can actually acquire a court order that forces that group to disclose the names.
The government will then proceed to arresting and punishing those individuals under statutes.
your full of shit bro weed is one of the best plants in the world has oils for cars, most carbondioxside breathing plant in the world makes so many types of clothes. and theres not one recorded death in the world of someone dying from weed. so stuff what you just said up your arse. never lone that it gets you stoned outta your head (Y)
If nothing else, please read the forward to the book, “marijuana is safer” which was written by former Seatle chief of police Norm Stampler. The fact is if you don’t support marijuana being legalized, you are actually contributing to allowing the current drug realities to continue. If pot was legal a substantial number of people would not drink as much alcohol which any one with half a brain knows is the far more dangerous drug. By not supporting legalization you are an accessory to the crimes that are being committed due to alcohol misuse. If pot was legal there would be fewer deaths caused to innocent americans caused by drunk drivers.
bullshit. psychological and health problems. tell that to the big whigs producing tobacco and LEGALLY putting destructive additives in them to lower their own costs, while paying off our worthless government to keep their efforts legal…spark up a joint that has zeroooo additives, and if you’re worried about 1 thing out of the 932509347509 things that apparently cause cancer, use a vaporizer. and what psychological problems do you speak of? please give one valid source that is not from some republican asshole or money-hungry group that wants to continue to keep marijuana illegal so tax payers can continue paying for those who are “not law-abiding”…who can verify that smoking marijuana causes psychological problems dipshit.
You smoke dried hay every day for 2 years, and I’m sure you’ll end up with some kind of a psychological problem.
You smoke some kind of a grass full of THC every day for 2 years, you end up fubar.
Still don’t see the relation?
While it’s true Bob Marley died of cancer, he didn’t die of lung cancer, he died of skin cancer.
As marijuana stands right now with its illegal status I must say it is a gateway drug. But if it were legalized I feel that would change. I personally don’t see marijuana as any more harmful than alcohol.
I’m in high school.
Kids that smoke marijuana usually don’t do very well.
Is there a link between that and the very high THC levels in the “very-safe herb”?
THC destroys brain cells, how is that good for you?
THC doesn’t destroy brain cells, it activates cannabinoid receptors. Do you have a logic or philosophy class? If so, pay better attention and you’ll learn why anecdotes are a terrible thing to base an argument on.
You know whats funny im an underage and yet I have people run around get my cigars, K2 (basicly like weed) and you never hear a single person complaining about 18+ers buying underagers that shit.
Well it can destroy lives just like any other drug.
Sure can. Just like any other drug, including the ones in your bathroom and coffee maker. Your comment sounds like you’re saying “if you take a substance that alters your body or mind, you may be ruining your life.” But have you considered how many drugs you take every day? Theres a difference between Drug use and Drug abuse. Whether a drug is being used or abused is up to the user, so people ruin lives, not pot.
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If nothing else, please read the forward to the book, “marijuana is safer” which was written by former Seatle chief of police Norm Stampler. The fact is if you don’t support marijuana being legalized, you are actually contributing to allowing the current drug realities to continue. If pot was legal a substantial number of people would not drink as much alcohol which any one with half a brain knows is the far more dangerous drug. By not supporting legalization you are an accessory to the crimes that are being committed due to alcohol misuse. If pot was legal there would be fewer deaths of innocent americans caused by drunk drivers.
Ian your obviously a little retarded from all the pot you have smoked
The kids right! There are more and more studies being done proving marijuana’s beneficial points. The main negative effects are caused by the carcinogens from the smoke, the actual active ingredients can be useful for many patients suffering from many disorders and diseases such as and not limited to: Bi-polar disorder, AIDS/HIV, Chrons disease, and glaucoma. In fact This so called “drug” has been said to help eliminate cells that turn into cancer in the lungs. THC and related “cannabinoids” appear to be “a new family of potential antitumoral agent.”
I think marijuana should not even be considered a drug since there are no adverse side effects. People only problem with marijuana is the sterotypical “pot smoker”. These so called “pot smokers” are portrayed as lazy, un-active, and troublesome kids. I, myself smoke marijuana; but i also maintain an A/B avereage in school. So it makes me angry when we are portrayed as bad people just because marijuana was made illegal by william hearst. He was mad that he was losing money do to increase Hemp Paper at his lumber cooperation and he helped create propaganda about how its bad, even though; scientifically proven it only has benefits. The only drug that has no adverse side effects….
Well said, Ian.
i my sciance case study we are doing about the debate of cannabis being used as a medical drug i personaly agree becausei take it but also because it would save the police’s time and effort because thay wont have to raid peoples house’s but i just want to know what every one else thinks? thanx
Most informative article. I hope i got more more information in this article.And this article help many people. Thanks for sharing
Any drug can be used as a gateway drug, and any drug can be abused. I think there are people who can use marijuana on occasion. But yes most people have problems using drugs. Lots of people have a problem with drugs and should go to a Drug Rehab treatment program.
“Most people have problems using drugs.”
That’s a wild claim, can you prove it? Because most drug users I know function just fine.
Perhaps alcohol is the gateway to marijuana and marriage is the gateway to alcohol.
That is one perception. http://www.soberliving.com
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How come this study only focused on marijuana, alcohol and weed? How many of those who participated ended up using harder drugs? How can they determine which is a gateway drug without that additional info?
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Marijuana is weed… Seek not to be understood but to understand.
weed is also a common term for tobacco…
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Scientists continue to press the well informed case for a restructuring of drug classifications
Helps others feel better when stressed or upset, makes the aching pain go away where ever it hurts… what’s so bad about chronic? To be honest I’m on it. I’m not brain dead, I don’t feel lazy I’m active. If you feeling sad. Hey!!! I have something for you to make you glad. If you can’t sleep why count sheep then just blaze a joint sooner or later you’ll be in a deep sleep. PEACE!!