The "gateway theory" implies that the use of less harmful drugs may lead to a future risk of using more dangerous drugs and/or crime and is most commonly associated with alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Regardless of the gateway theory being difficult to prove or disprove, the primary concerns regarding alleged gateway drugs appear to be the constant evaluation of their benefits, the extent to which they are physically, psychologically, and sociologically harmful, and the actual gateway to "hard" drug usage and/or crime. Although there are many myths about gateway-associated drugs, the question of what is over/under rated, over/under stated, and underused/ abused still remains, leaving the existing debates primarily about evaluation and definition. As stated by Noel Merino, "Concerns about a drug's status as a gateway set aside, many argue that tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana are harmful in their own right, whether or not they lead to the use of other drugs [or crime]" (55).
Alcohol
For example, alcohol, which is legal but highly associated with the gateway effect, poses an open debate on evaluation of its risks, benefits, and alleged gateway effect. With alcohol as one of the most common and widely available drugs, its use is affected by many factors, including area of residence, income level, religion, individual's sex, and education. Among many motives, the most popular reason for one to drink is the feeling induced by alcohol use. According to information gathered by the World Health Organization in 2004, out of the approximate 2 billion global drinkers, an estimate of 76.3 million people had (health and injury) problems as a result of alcohol use (Mason 18). Though more than 50 different types of disease and injury are linked to alcohol drinking, some controversial issues of alcohol include determining if it is more or less beneficial than harmful and proving or disproving its ability to have a gateway effect.
Alcohol: Alleged Gateway Effect and Society
Although at some point a euphoric phase can be reached, ultimately, alcohol can result in death, but not everyone agrees with the extent of the seriousness of damages influenced by alcohol. The most controversial societal issues of alcohol are its alleged gateway effect and escalated death rate. Can alcohol be considered a gateway drug based on the majority of people struggling with violence being alcohol users and approximately 5% of the 52% total U.S. adult regular drinkers using marijuana (Myers and Petty 126)? Alyssa J. Myers and Marion O. Petty conducted a study at a university that allowed them to conclude: the more alcohol consumed by a person the greater their chances of smoking marijuana. On the other hand, Dr. Daniel J. Sonkin believes violence is the gateway path of alcohol, which he supports by statistics and experience, and he implies "Although there are no conclusive studies indicating that alcohol...cause[s] domestic violence, a person... may do things that he might not ordinarily do while sober" (Sonkin). Also, the abuse of alcohol has resulted in many deaths, mostly of which are road accidents. Paul Mason, an author, implies "Drinking an alcoholic drink is like going on a trip... that can end in a number of places, depending on when you stop drinking" and insinuates that teenage death are mostly a result of alcohol rather than any other drug, which contradicts some people's argument of alcohol being less dangerous than illicit drugs (12,20). Many people are under the impression that alcohol abstinence could save many lives, but according to David J. Henson (a retired sociology professor) a;though several deaths could be prevented, numerous additional lives would be taken as a result of escalating cases of coronary heart disease, which is estimated from thirteen different studies that deaths would rise in the U.S. alone by roughly 136,000 (90). The society also struggles with heavy financial damages inflicted from alcohol users, largely within the health care industry. Additionally, another topic for debate on alcohol is the extent to which its physical and psychological damages are harmful.
Alcohol: Physiological and Psychological Effects
As a result of alcohol consumption, research indicates physical damages to the body include liver damage, increased risk of other diseases such as hepatitis, destruction of heart muscle, decreased blood flow in coronary arteries, increased hypertension, obesity, increased chances of heart disease, destruction of blood cells and irreplaceable brain cells, impaired memory and ability to learn, malnutrition, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and dependence. As implied by the World Health Organization, the 3rd most significant health threat in wealthy countries is alcohol (Mason 37). Regardless of there being reports that show that one drink per day favorably affects the way cholesterol is carried through the blood, which somewhat decreases the risk of heart disease, according to Albert S. Whiting, no benefit can be reaped from alcohol consumption, which he supports by the acknowledgement of its physically-damaging effects. But according to Hanson (who attempts to discredit many myths about alcohol), the alcohol-induced damages are exaggerated, including wight gain, fetal alcohol syndrome, and increasing alcohol abuse among youths. Although alcohol is a depressant, Whiting acknowledges the common belief of alcohol as a stimulant and notes it reduces the functions of all living cells, more-so those in the brain (79). Unlike Whiting, Hanson implies the destruction of brain cells caused by alcohol is a myth by suggesting that moderate alcohol consumption is often associated with enhanced intellectual functioning (86). Contrary to Whiting's belief in alcohol tolerance leading to dependence, as a result of no substantiated scientific findings, "Drinking enough" will not induce alcoholism nor will alcohol, which is compared as a ratio to sugar causing diabetes, and with prohibition as a reference, it can be concluded that there is no link between alcohol's availability and alcoholism (Hanson, 87,90,91). However, where there is pleasure, the risk of dependence exists. Furthermore, alcohol is not the only alleged gateway drug that is legal and widely accessible, but tobacco is too.
Tobacco
The most frequently used tobacco products globally are cigarettes, averaging at 15 billion cigarettes smoked daily, and since their introduction to the world, every year the amount of cigarettes smoked has risen, currently averaging annually at 451 billion cigarettes smoked in the U.S. alone (Mason 6). The 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health concluded the most widely abused and death-preventable drug in the U.S. is tobacco, showing an estimated 70.3 million Americans over twelve years old currently as users (National Institute on Drug Abuse 93). Many studies indicate that cigarette smoking is caused by many varying lifestyle factors, including sex, age, residential location, education, religion, ethnicity, income, and marital status. Smokers generally suffer from lung problems, addiction, and sometimes cancer, and smoking has also been associated with heart and circulatory problems and infertility. After knowing the results of various extensive studies, how can there be any benefits reaped of tobacco? Ignoring the feeling of pleasure from tobacco's products, allegedly, tobacco decreases the risks of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease; however, the chances of developing either before a tobacco-related problem are extensively slim. Yet regardless of tobacco being linked with many diseases, some people believe the harms are exaggerated; therefore, several national debates regarding primarily smoked-tobacco products include the significance of its damages, its alleged gateway effect, and how society should react.
Tobacco: Physiological and Psychological Effects
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) argues that tobacco's nicotine is highly addictive and harmful as a result of many findings implying just that and supports their argument with details about the effects of nicotine, nicotine addiction, other addiction-contributing chemicals in tobacco, and medical consequences. As a dispute, Joe Jackson refers to nicotine addiction as "Pathetic Addict Syndrome;" he concluded that the definition of addiction is scientifically unclear and separating addictions form "habits, rituals, or pleasures" is difficult because it is pleasurable (which most people don't really want to give up). leaving it a question of personality (not the substance) (109). Also, in the U.S., approximately 440,000 people die yearly from diseases induced by smoked tobacco products, which is greater than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, car accident, fire, and AIDs combined. According to Paul Mason, who claims 24 times as many people are killed yearly by smoking than in road accidents, it is safer to drive or cross the street rather than smoke (20,21). Favoring Mason's theory, NIDA also claims "Cigarette smoking harms every organ in the body" and "Nearly 90 percent of smokers start smoking by age 18, and of smokers under 18 years of age, more than 6 million will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease" (98,100). But feeling as the inflicted damages of tobacco are overstated, Joe Jackson states "It has become fashionable to blame smoking for just about anything" and argues statistics have been biased, portraying a greater risk than there actually is (102). To support hi claim, he mostly details premises for lung cancer and statistics by implying statistics are one-sided and ten to forget to acknowledge the numbers of people who die from the same assumed smoke-related diseases without ever smoking and insinuates many statistics are falsified. Also, Robert A. Levy boldly disputes the argument of the harms of secondhand smoke because, according to him, there is no evidence, which NIDA claims it as the primary source of air pollution and has many of the same medical disadvantages as first-hand smoke. As a result of the alleged damages, some believe it should be outlawed.
Tobacco: Society and Alleged Gateway Effect
Recently in the U.S., many public locations have been enforcing no smoking, and Levy indicates smoking prohibitions violate the rights of smokers. However, John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, suggests that tobacco should be illegal because of the extent of health-related damages it can cause and implies the only reason it is legal because the profit for the tobacco industry and the government. According to Mason, the tobacco industry occasionally suggests that smoking is economically beneficial for several reasons: the government and workers receive large amounts of money, and the deaths cause by tobacco products are beneficial in the sense that the dead don't need doctors, money, or a place to live (38). And although the smoke of tobacco products consists of over 4,000 chemicals, with nicotine as the main reinforcing agent, tobacco smoked products cause outstanding amounts of money to be contributed to healthcare alone, which has a negative societal effect despite pollution. Additionally, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) argues that there is an existing connection between teen cigarette smoking and marijuana smoking and claims that marijuana use is likely to occur among teenage cigarette smokers rather than non-smoking teens. After researching, CASA concluded "Of teens who have tried marijuana once, 20 percent are current cigarette smokers. Of teens who are repeat marijuana users, 43 percent are current cigarette smokers" (118). On the contrary, Patrick Zickler implies that NIDA's data has displayed links between both cravings for nicotine and illicit drugs, like cocaine and heroin rather than marijuana, and usage levels of tobacco and illicit drugs. Finally, another alleged gateway drug is marijuana, mostly illegal but widely available and used, which provides another massive debate regarding the evaluation of its harms outweighing its benefits and vice versa.
Marijuana
The active ingredient in marijuana, THC--which acts on cannabinoid receptors[1], has been scientifically proven to have beneficial potential for pain relief, nausea control, and appetite stimulation, and many doctors have reported they would rather prescribe medical marijuana as treatment rather than some legal medications like Xanax, which is considered highly addictive. In the U.S., marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug, and according to a 2009 survey, 28.5 million Americans, over 12 years old, used marijuana in the prior year (National Institute on Drug Abuse). The main difference between tobacco and marijuana is their main reinforcing ingredients, THC and nicotine, and there have been reports indicating marijuana smokers have mostly the same or more health disadvantages as cigarette smokers. Also, other studies have shown links among frequent marijuana use and high levels of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia and different cancers, which has not yet been confirmed (National Institute on Drug Abuse 3). However, the issues at hand are determining whether its benefits outweigh its harms and vice versa, what role society should play, and its alleged gateway effect.
Marijuana: Physiological and Psychological Effects
With marijuana (and any drug that influences pleasure), there is a risk of dependence, which many people dispute the rationality of marijuana addiction. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, no benefits reaped of marijuana, which is currently more intoxicating than ever before, outweigh its harms--intellectual impairment, mental health problems, traffic safety issues, addiction, gateway to "hard" drugs, medical problems, and behavioral problems (57). On the other hand, Paul Armentano disputes the idea that marijuana smoking effects brain function and claims the theory is not scientifically confirmed; also, he denies that marijuana has addictive capabilities nor does it cause violence. Smoking marijuana has many adverse effects, including: heart rate increase of 20-100% after smoking marijuana--which studies have implied increased chances of a heart attack within the first hour after smoking by approximately 5-fold, abnormal epithelial cell growth in the lungs--which can lead to cancer as a result of being exposed to up to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke and inhaling more deeply and longer, and negatively affecting daily lives (National Institute on Drug Abuse 3). As scientifically proven, marijuana is not harmless but neither are any other drugs, legal or not, and out of roughly 80 million Americans who have admitted using marijuana, few admitted having any drug-related health problems (Armentano 68). But as a result of marijuana's harms, Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), insinuates that marijuana should be classified as a "hard" drug. Furthermore, marijuana's alleged gateway effect and issue of legalization are additional current debates.
Marijuana: Society and Alleged Gateway
The debate of legalization is currently a major national controversy, but if its harms appear to be less than alcohol, which is legal, and seem to be nearly equal to tobacco, also is legal, why is marijuana not legal or alcohol and tobacco illegal? Costa strongly disagrees with the very thought of legalizing marijuana. Since marijuana can fall in with tobacco and alcohol, several people, including Ray Warren--director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C.--and Rosie Boycott--a journalist who has used marijuana and associates with current successful users, feel it should be legalized, which could prevent many arrests and government spending. Similarly, Bruce Mirken, a communication director for the Marijuana Policy Project, claims it is illegal only because the alleged gateway effects, which according to him, several studies show no evidence. As implied by some researchers, a gateway effect, if any, favors being social rather than pharmacological (Mirken 140). Other evidence indicates the earlier on in life marijuana is used provides an increased gateway to illicit drug use, and according to researchers for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), most illicit drug users began using marijuana at an early age. Although marijuana is just one subject for debate, the greater debate is not just the defining and evaluating what qualifies as a gateway drug but also the evaluation of the risks and the benefits and what role society should play.
Indeed there have been various studies that have implied trends from their data, but the studies only imply relationships between different things rather than providing facts. Another issue is determining which reports are biased or exaggerated. Regardless, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana each have their own shortcomings, which have been scientifically proven, and although the benefits for each seem minimal, it is overall left to the user to determine rather the benefits outweigh the harms and establish if the feeling provided is worth the sacrifice.
[1] Cannabinoid receptors are mostly located in areas of the brain that affect pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.
Works Cited
Armentano, Paul. "The Harmful Effect of Marijuana Are Minimal." Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway
Drugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 67-77. Print.
Hanson, David J. "There Are Many Myths About the Harms of Alcohol Use." Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway Drugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 85-91. Print.
Jackson, Joe. "Harms from Tobacco Use Are Overstated and Distorted."Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway Drugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 102-11. Print.
Mason, Paul. Know the Facts About Drinking and Smoking. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group Inc., 2010. Print.
Merino, Noel. Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway Drugs.Greenhaven Press, 2008. Print.
Mirken, Bruce. "Marijuana Is Not a Gateway Drug."Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway Drugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 137-41. Print.
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National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Marijuana." NIDA INFOFACTS. (2010): 1-5. Web. 22 July 2011.
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Office of National Drug Control Policy. "Marijuana Use Has Many Harmful Effects."Opposing Viewpoints: Gateway Drugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 57-66. Print.
Sonkin, Daniel Jay. "Alcohol, Drugs, and Violence." Daniel Jay Sonkin, Ph.D. Relationship Matters. David J. Sonkin. N. pag. Web. 27 July 2011.
Whiting, Albert S. "Alcohol Use Is Harmful."Opposing Viewpoints: GatewayDrugs. Ed. Noel Merino. Greenhaven Press, 2008. 78-84. Print.
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