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Gateway Drugs? Do They Actually Exist?

Gateway drugs are thought by some to be another environmental risk factor, but this hypothesis has become more controversial in recent years. For example, someone whose parent had a drug problem may never have trouble with addiction. However, if they experience trauma or lose their job unexpectedly, issues with substance abuse may begin to arise. There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding marijuana as a gateway drug.

However, it’s important to monitor the use of gateway drugs, particularly in teens. Based on the available research, there is some evidence that the Gateway Drug Theory is true. However, while some studies do support the Gateway Hypothesis, the research is mixed9. For example, a recent study10 found that it isn’t necessarily that gateway drugs directly lead to the use of harder drugs; rather, it is teens’ attitudes toward drugs that explain the Gateway Drug Theory. In the study, having a more accepting attitude toward drugs was linked to the use of harder drugs. The study’s authors concluded that after using gateway drugs, teens may become more accepting of hard drug use and then begin using illegal drugs.

Why Stigma Makes Addiction Worse (and How We Can End It)

The phrase “gateway drug” refers to any substance a person uses to get “high” that could potentially lead them to use stronger, more dangerous drugs in the future. This article will discuss the idea of gateway drugs and whether or not alcohol qualifies as one. It will also provide information about alcohol misuse and substance misuse. Of course, a number of those who experience trauma are those who have lack of mental health support, and it is important to nip this in the bud as early as possible. Childhood trauma fuels substance abuse issues later in life and there are various factors that make it more prevalent such as poverty and low socio-economic standing. These are often Class C drugs such as steroids, benzodiazepine and other opioids, or legal highs.

• The gateway drugs increased the opportunity for progressive drug use, rather than just because of brain changes.
• The issue of gateway drugs is highly contested and debated in addiction treatment programs, circles of medical professionals, and drug education programs like D.A.R.E.
• Teens may start to believe that “everyone is doing it” even if they aren’t, which may encourage experimentation.
• As the issue revolves around finding ways to prevent young people from developing these problems, you would think a lot of research would have been done.
• To find out if alcohol is a gateway drug, this article will examine the science of substance use.

In early America, drinking alcohol was an accepted part of everyday life at a time when water was often contaminated and life was hard. Alcohol was not just a liquid to drink, it was also seen as medicinal by physicians (Bustard, 2014). A family history of drug use increases the risk that a teen will use hard drugs. In fact, one study14 found that genetics explain about 27% of the risk that a teen will initiate drug use.

Untreated trauma from mental health issues fuel the fire

Nicotine has been shown to increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nicotine alone is addictive—as addictive as heroin and cocaine, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, experts believe that vaping may make it even easier to become addicted to nicotine. Because a single vape pod contains the equivalent of 20 cigarettes’ worth of nicotine, it’s easier to take in more nicotine in a shorter amount of time, with less effort. Moreover, since e-cigarettes don’t have the bad smell and taste of cigarettes, there are fewer negative factors to deter young adults from vaping use and, subsequently, vaping addiction. Researchers have examined neurobiological changes that help explain such statistics.

Our blog provides news, information, and motivation to help individuals start or continue on their recovery journey from their mental health condition or substance addiction. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, with 48.2 million users in 2019. Marijuana use may have a wide range of health effects on the body and brain. Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year. Secondhand smoke can cause stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body.

Alcohol Versus Nicotine and Marijuana: Comparing Gateway Drugs

These studies are called randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and they cannot be done in adolescents because they involve feeding adolescents alcohol or placebos and seeing what happens. There is a lot of disparity in the research evidence surrounding alcohol as a gateway drug, and there is a lot of knowledge missing. Because the issue involves finding ways to prevent young people from developing substance addictions later in life, one would think that there would be a lot of research into the subject. The previously mentioned gateway hypothesis remains controversial, even among researchers.

Some examples of gateway drugs are nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana (cannabis). However, it’s important to note that brain changes as a result of vaping are not the only factor contributing to substance abuse. Substance abuse is typically a co-occurring mental health disorder with an underlying cause such as depression, trauma, or anxiety. Young adults who vape marijuana, drink to excess, or use hard drugs are in almost all cases using substances in order to self-medicate the pain of a mental health challenge. The idea that drug use can occur in stages took root in the mid-20th century.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. Every day, about 1,600 young people under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and 235 begin smoking cigarettes daily. Over 16 million people live with at least one disease caused by smoking, and 58 million nonsmoking Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke (CDC, Smoking and eco sober house cost tobacco use, n. d.). Tobacco is unique because it is a legal substance that contains nicotine which is highly addictive and highly carcinogenic (cancer causing). Companies that make energy drinks claim that the drinks can increase alertness and improve physical and mental performance. This strategy has helped make the drinks popular with American teens and young adults.

How Does Alcohol Use Lead To Addiction?

” is undoubtedly “Yes.” For example, 90 percent of cocaine users between the ages of 18 and 34 started smoking before they began using cocaine. The Gateway Drug Theory2 states that when teens experiment with substances like alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, they later go on to abuse more addictive drugs like cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. Based on this theory, many researchers have studied how using drugs or alcohol at certain ages can lead to substance abuse and addiction in adulthood. A gateway drug is a habit-forming drug that, while not as addictive as other drugs, may encourage or contribute to the use of other more dangerous and addictive drugs. This term was the result of the gateway hypothesis, which states that adolescents who experiment with these kinds of substances are more likely to use addictive drugs later in life.

According to the findings, alcohol served as the primary entry point for the use of other drugs such as tobacco and marijuana. On the other hand, environmental factors refer to https://soberhome.net/ things that people are exposed to and learn from. This can lead to poor use of oxygen by the lungs, as well as a build-up of carbon dioxide in the body, which can be dangerous.

Gateway Drug FAQs

Some of those actions may include experimenting with harsher drugs, especially if they are not in the right frame of mind to consider the consequences or risks. Young people are especially prone to the influences of peer pressure and curiosity if they are already buzzed from alcohol. Teens or young adults may initially choose to experiment with alcohol because they are curious about the substance’s effects. Since many families keep alcohol in their homes, it is one of the easiest substances for young people to access.

You may continue to feel the effects of caffeine for four to six hours. A man is prescribed hydrocodone (Vicodin®) by his doctor for pain management purposes after a necessary surgery. The man takes the medication as directed by his doctor and uses it when he feels it’s necessary to manage the post-op pain. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

Energy drinks may also contain sugars, vitamins, herbs, and supplements. It stimulates your central nervous system, which can make you feel more awake and give you a boost of energy. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning that it helps your body get rid of extra salt and water by urinating more. The substance also increases the release of acid in your stomach, sometimes leading to an upset stomach or heartburn; may interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body; and increases your blood pressure. Prescription pills are some of the most accessible substances to the average person. When you get prescribed medication for an injury or surgery, strong pain medications can end up lingering in cabinets after the medication is not needed anymore.

This article will look at the science behind substance use to discover whether alcohol is a gateway drug. With repeated use, an individual will experience an increase in alcohol tolerance. This means that they will need to drink more each time to achieve desired effects. Eventually, the brain will recognize alcohol use as normal, and no longer trigger dopamine surges as intensely as before. Alcohol consumption causes abnormal inflammation in the brain, making it especially dangerous for young people.

We offer treatment for chemical dependencies such as cocaine addiction, drug addiction and alcoholism. It is extremely important to us that you receive the highest quality medical care from our qualified staff during your stay. Rats that consumed alcohol also experienced chemical changes in their brains that made them more vulnerable to cocaine dependency and addiction.