Marijuana: Gateway Drug or Bringer of Benefits?

By Question Everything, published Nov 07, 2006
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Many arguments have been made in favor of legalizing marijuana, so I was curious which direction Roxanne Cottell would take in her article If God Didn’t Want it Here, It Would be Gone Like the Dinosaurs; Marijuana is Here to Stay. In my opinion, she has a valid point - or several - if one takes the time to read her article with an open mind. Though I feel ill-prepared to (and also not interested to) make an argument in favor of the legalization of marijuana, I would like to add a little something to the points that Roxanne has made, and possibly fuel a little more thought before people come to a conclusion.

Marijuana is Not a Gateway Drug…

Excuse my cynicism, please, as I suggest that Americans could use a little more personal responsibility, and instead the government is giving them an excuse to show less. If ‘the Devil made me do it’ just is not working for you anymore, blame that marijuana. It certainly is not drug addicts’ fault that they became what they are, right? Please.

I just do not see it; I have never had an interest in trying heroin, for example, and I do not believe that smoking marijuana would change that. I also know some people who smoke marijuana, including a few who do so quite regularly. Some of them do other illegal drugs, some of them do not. Those who do have never credited marijuana as their reason and those who do not have not tried other drugs just because they smoke marijuana.

In short, it all comes down to predisposition. For someone who has no interest in (other) drugs, marijuana is not going to automatically create an interest. If there is already a curiosity or inclination, then yes, marijuana may help pave the way. Unfortunately, that is not evidence to support marijuana being a gateway drug as it does nothing to prove that someone with such a curiosity would not act on it if they did not try marijuana. In fact, why would they even try marijuana without that curiosity?

…Or, at Least, Marijuana is Not the Only Gateway Drug.

 
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Takeaways
  • Marijuana is not the only gateway drug, and some users do not need a gateway drug.
  • Marijuana has enough medical properties for some states to leagalize it.
  • All sorts of medically legal drugs are used illegally.
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KEN E MAIL robwillrobwill@rogers.com please send help

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Posted on 10/06/2007 at 9:10:00 PM

 
I HAVE BEEN SMOKING EVER SINCE I HAD A BIKE ACCIDEND I AM NOT A BIKER I DIDNOT SEEN MY BROTHER FOR THE FRIST TIME IN 4 YEARS WHEN IT HAPPEN HE DIED NOW I CAN NOT GET OUT OF PAIN I HAVE BEEN TRY EVERY THING I CAN THINK OF IF THERE IS ANY STUDYS THAT I CAN DO LET ME PLEASE KNOW I CAN NOT FEEL SOME OF MY HANDS MY LEGS MOVE BAD I AM AWAYS NOT GOOD BUT I DO NOT LIKE TALKING MUCH A BOUT IT.BUT I CAN NOT KEEP THIS UP IF YOU CAN HELP ME FIND A PERSON THAT WILL HELP I WOULD LIKE IT I AM A DAD WITH 2 BOYS AGE 8 12 MOM DIED 6 MOUNTH AGO I AM LOST HELP

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Posted on 10/06/2007 at 9:10:00 PM

 
QE this article was extremely well written and made very interesting points. I must commend you for your research on the topic, which gives your article much more crediblitiy in my eyes, than a general opinion on the subject. Though you have elected not to become a voice for the legalization of marijuana, to me, you'd be the perfect advocate. Now that the flattery is out of the way, I am not too familiar with the politics regarding the legalization of marijuana, but I have experience with the drug as far as usage. I think that alot of the comments have been generally correct, I would only like to add that, people have choices. Making marijuana legal will not have a negative effect on the people of America. Think of it this way, marajuana is not a drug that compromises your state of mind. You do not smoke a blunt or joint and want to rob a bank, like a crack head or meth addict. People have robbed pharmacies for oxy and hospitals for morphine. I have yet to hear of a marijuana user caug

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Posted on 05/18/2007 at 9:05:00 PM

 
Thanks, John, that's a good point.

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Posted on 02/14/2007 at 5:02:00 AM

 
Good points. Personally, I think weed's like a drug that affect different people different ways and depending on amount used. In that sense, weed's like alcohol. It weed's legalized, it should be treated as alcohol. Heavier drugs like cocaine, PCP etc affect all people badly so it's fair to say weed's not in the same category scientifically. People say if weed were legalized that it'd upset the profits of drug dealers. I disagree because weed's probably one of the cheapest drugs there is. Now legalie coke, pcp and then you would hurt the dealers severely. For medicinal purposes, I'm 100% for weed. For recreation, like beer, it's ok. I, personally., won't drink, do drugs or weed but that's by choice.

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Posted on 02/14/2007 at 5:02:00 AM

 
Thank you, Zach and Daniel, your comments raised some interesting points.

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Posted on 02/09/2007 at 7:02:00 PM

 
And further, when people use marijauna their alcohol consumption declines...now follow the money trail.

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Posted on 02/09/2007 at 5:02:00 PM

 
For any degree of illegality to be tagged to marijauna use is madness. The only reason that junk has any value at all is because it is illegal. Illegality has created a complete underground economy which serves only to enrich people willing to risk life and limb for something otherwise assinine.

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Posted on 02/09/2007 at 5:02:00 PM

 
correction on what i left before...marijuana slowed the growth of lung cancer in studys and decreased and faught brain cancer toumers

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Posted on 02/08/2007 at 11:02:00 PM

 
Excuse me for the thought here but i cant just set and read all this information without putting in my 2 cents. In my oppinion marijuana is Harmless! I have NEVER heard of any negitive things arising from marijuana. Cigarettes and Alcahol cause cancer and organ damige. Marijuana has been proven to reduce the risk of and fight brain cancer and also fight lung cancer. And if this GREAT country we live in is SUPPOSIDLY FREE...then WHY ARE WE TAKING THE B/S FROM THE GOVERNMENT?!?! All the reserch i have read on marijuana seem to be positive. No negitive effects such as "rotting of the brain" (in reallity there are no negitive effects on the brain) yes it does affect short term memory TEMPORARILY. If people did their research they would find that marijuana is Much less harmful then the "Legal drugs". America is SUPPOSIDLY FREE? then why cant WE THE PEOPLE make our own decisions about the things we do? In my oppinion we are NOT free we are far from it but that could be changed if everyone pu

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Posted on 02/08/2007 at 10:02:00 PM

 
Thanks for sharing, Eddie. You have a very good point. I'll be looking for your article; I can't wait to read it.

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Posted on 11/14/2006 at 11:11:00 AM

 
plant that can be had for virtually nothing? Am I insane or does that not make sense? Is the entire purpose of Marinol to prevent sick people who are wasting away from terminal illnesses from "getting high"? Excuse my language, but you gotta be fucking kidding me. Hemp is far less harmful than alcohol, so why is hemp illegal and alcohol not? Prohibition of alcohol proved so ineffective that it lasted only about 10 years, yet we STILL, though it has proven every bit as ineffective, have hemp prohibition over 50 years later. Why? To paraphrase Bill Clinton, it's the money, stupid. Check out the books The Emporer Has no Clothes by Jack Herer and Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts by Lynn Zimmer for the truth behind the propoganda, it's really very sad. Margaret Kohun and others like you, shame on you for being uninformed and ignorant. Nice article QE, I think you inspired me to write one of my own.

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Posted on 11/14/2006 at 9:11:00 AM

 
Put simply, hemp is a gateway drug only by virtue of the fact that it is illegal, which creates a great catch-22 for drug warriors and the easily misled. Because it is illegal, the people who sell it often sell other illegal drugs such as herion, meth, geltabs, crack, coke, GHB, dust, or whatever they can pass on for a profit. I can tell you from experience that my first experiences, and those of all of my friends, with non-hemp drugs arose from this type of situation, and this is exactly how it is all over the country. If hemp were sold in regulated stores then there would be no connection whatsoever with "hard" drugs, and, though these drugs would certainly still be around, I think we would see an immediate decline in their use, certainly among teenagers. Marinol is a perfect example of how corporate interests are the reason hemp is illegal. Why would someone want to pay for a manufactured pill that not only doesn't work as well, but also has side effects, compared to a naturall

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Posted on 11/14/2006 at 9:11:00 AM

 
I'm sorry, I have yet to see any proof that that is the only potential for medical benefit from that particular plant. Your comment ignores the experimental uses in cancer patients, as well as the fact that other benefits have not been explored. While "getting high" is the argument for legalizing it as a drug (much like alcohol), there are more considerations than that. And though "getting high" may not be a good reason to make it legal as a drug, it hasn't prevented the legalization or availabilty of alcohol or pain killers.

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Posted on 11/08/2006 at 2:11:00 PM

 
What most people don't realize is that marijuana, in a particular form, IS a legal medicinal drug and has been for decades. One of its 400+ psychoactive ingredients, tetrahydocannabinol, (THC) is the source of the drug Marinol. This medication provides essential relief for painful eye pressure in glaucoma patients. Marinol is also given to AIDS patients to increase their appetite, maybe making their eventual death a bit easier than starving to death. This debate isn't about medicine; it's about getting high.

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Posted on 11/08/2006 at 12:11:00 PM

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