cannabisnews.com: ‘Gateway’ Drug Goes Up in Smoke 





‘Gateway’ Drug Goes Up in Smoke 
Posted by CN Staff on December 06, 2006 at 10:02:58 PT
By Dakota Ballard, Opinion Columnist
Source: Daily O'Collegian
USA -- A 12-year study from the University of Pittsburgh blows smoke in the face of the long-standing belief that marijuana is a “gateway” drug.The study found that young men who began to use marijuana at an early age were no more likely to engage in other substance abuse than those who drank or smoked cigarettes first.
Researchers at the university tracked more than 200 boys from 10 to 12 years old who all eventually used legal or illegal substances. At age 22, the boys were put into groups of alcohol, tobacco and drug use.Only about a quarter of the study population who used both legal and illegal substances used marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco. These individuals were no more likely to develop a substance abuse problem than those who used alcohol and tobacco before the illegal drugs.While the study focused only on young men, the results seem to debunk the slogans thrown around by the government for decades. Posters in the ’30s and ’40s labeled marijuana as a killer narcotic that could drive a grown man insane.More recent advertisements suggest marijuana could have you forget your little brother at baseball practice or even run over a skating child as you pull out of a fast-food restaurant after getting your munchies fix.This study may serve as a stepping stone to more research that could eventually show that marijuana regulation is more about politics and money than it is about public well-being and safety.With more than 135,000 inmates serving time in the United States because of felony marijuana charges, it costs more than $7 billion dollars annually to fund the prohibition on the drug in the United States.Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses make up 60 percent of inmates. The rate of incarceration in the United States is generally at least eight times that of other comparable industrialized nations, including Canada and the countries of Western Europe.This country makes criminals of about 700 out of every 100,000 citizens, and marijuana charges are a significant portion of this. This number puts us a step above Russia.Eventually we have to treat marijuana use as a health care issue and not a criminal one. The substance is no more dangerous or addictive than alcohol and easily better for your health than cigarettes, because marijuana lacks the nicotine addiction.The excuses for the ban on marijuana burn out one by one.How long will it be before people can make this decision for themselves instead of having government entities decide for them?Source: Daily O'Collegian (OK State U, OK Edu)Author: Dakota Ballard, Opinion ColumnistPublished: December 6, 2006Copyright: 2006 Oklahoma State UniversityContact: letters ocolly.comWebsite: http://www.ocolly.comRelated Articles:Researchers Say Pot Not Always Path To Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22432.shtmlNo 'Smoking' Gun http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22430.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on December 09, 2006 at 02:47:12 PT
Thank God!
Yay! Yay! Yay!Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!Mayan...comment 9....Right on!
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Comment #11 posted by OverwhelmSam on December 06, 2006 at 21:50:47 PT
Gateway Theory To Hell
The government still believes in the gateway theory. However, it's more of a religious type of belief than a factual belief. The story goes that if a teenager tries marijuana and is relaxed and content for a few hours, that the teenager will make the mental leap that herion and crack will make him/her feel great! But the public knows the difference by casual observation that crack, herion and meth are crazy!
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Comment #10 posted by mayan on December 06, 2006 at 18:18:55 PT
Graehstone
That is indeed welcome news! Thanks!!!
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on December 06, 2006 at 18:15:34 PT
Finally!!!
This study may serve as a stepping stone to more research that could eventually show that marijuana regulation is more about politics and money than it is about public well-being and safety.Gee, ya' think? As I and others here have been saying for decades, the prohibition of recreational cannabis has always been the ultimate means to maintain the federal ban on medicinal and industrial cannabis. At least some folks are finally getting it! If cannabis prohibitionists were truly concerned about our safety and well-being they would outlaw themselves as they support policies which have created an unsustainable world that will soon be uninhabitable!THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Actor James Brolin Latest Celebrity To Publicly Doubt 9/11:
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/december2006/061206actorbrolin.htmDavid Lynch Goes Public With 9/11 Questions:
http://www.infowars.net/articles/december2006/061206Lynch.htmHERO OF 9/11 WON'T STOP SPEAKING OUT AGAINST BUSH:
http://tinyurl.com/ybvmxnDam Breaks On 9/11 Truth:
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/december2006/071206dambreaks.htmInto the Ring with Counterpunch on 9/11:
http://www.leftgatekeepers.com/articles/IntoTheRingWithCounterpunchOn911ByMichaelKeefer.htmWTC-7: Any Questions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEPjOi2dQSM
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Comment #8 posted by Graehstone on December 06, 2006 at 17:54:29 PT
Huge Victory for Patients in California!
Just received this in an email:Huge Victory for Patients in California!Impact will be felt across the country as the medical marijuana issue continues to gain momentumThe San Diego Superior Court ruled in favor of patients today, as the attempt to overturn California's medical marijuana law was soundly defeated. Judge William Nevitt, Jr. ruled that there is no "positive conflict" between federal and state law, and that the voluntary identification (ID) card program does not interfere with the purpose of Proposition 215 (Compassionate Use Act or CUA). This ruling upholds Proposition 215 and SB 420, and confirms the protections provided to patients under state law. This is a huge victory for patients in California and across the country with an affirmation that states can exempt qualified patients from criminal penalties, despite federal policy that prohibits all marijuana use.In his ruling, Judge Nevitt concluded that "[n]either the CUA nor the MMP (Medical Marijuana Program) is preempted by the Supremacy Clause, by the CSA (Controlled Substances Act), or by the Single Convention."Judge Nevitt also ruled that the provision of the MMP that authorizes the implementation of a voluntary ID card program is not an amendment to the CUA. Furthermore, Judge Nevitt ruled that the MMP "does not add or take away from the CUA," and "does not interfere" with the stated purpose of the CUA, "[to] ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes..."This ruling is similar to the tentative ruling that was issued November 15, 2006, and a resounding victory for patients in California and across the country. As we move forward with implementation of laws in California and ten other states, pass laws in even more states, and work toward safe access for every U.S. resident that needs to use it medically, we can stand on the success of this lawsuit. This affirmation clearly recognizes that states can pass laws that protect their people without conflicting with federal laws that are out of step with the vast majority of the country.This ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by San Diego County on February 1, 2006, and later joined by San Bernardino and Merced Counties. Americans for Safe Access and member patients joined with the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project and Drug Policy Alliance and successfully intervened in the lawsuit on August 4. A motion was then filed on September 1, which was argued by ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, culminating in this landmark ruling.ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer declared that, "for the tens of thousands of seriously ill Californians who depend on medical marijuana, this victory could not be more significant.” San Diego Supervisors sought clarification from the courts and now, with this ruling, we encourage San Diego and counties across California to move forward with implementing state law.Onward,Kris Hermes
Legal Campaign DirectorYippee!!!! It's about darn time we get some good news down here.
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Comment #7 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 17:04:37 PT
re: did you ever imagine?
your good handdeeply immersedin this pot filled belly
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Comment #6 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 16:51:18 PT
have you caught a wink?
drinking your pepsi cola?using you good eye?did you ever imagine?flowers would ever becomeenemy of the stateshere in river city
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Comment #5 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 16:25:16 PT
re: put millions out of work.
millions out of work. re' millions out of work, do you live on a chicken farm?are you on that list?that list of prisoners?have you touched caNNABIS?have you inhaled?You are going to the Devil
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Comment #4 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 16:12:20 PT
re: Layers
and all the places you are seeing this 'from'have a good hand?Can you see?
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Comment #3 posted by charmed quark on December 06, 2006 at 16:08:53 PT
Nothing new at all
Studies disproved the "gateway" theory years ago. That theory claimed there was something about marijuana that modified a person to make it more likely they would go on to "harder" drugs.So that theory was replaced by the more subtle "stepping stone" theory. That one claimed that youths used marijuana as a stepping stone drug to harder drugs. They'd use marijuana, really enjoy the effects and not notice any real downside. But eventually they'd get bored with it and desire something stronger. By preventing them from trying marijuana, you'd remove the first step to harder drugs and they would never use drugs.But numerous studies showed no obvious correlation between early marijuana use and, say, heroin use. At most, most researchers saw a possible environmental or psycho/physical cofactor.But the failure of these theories made absolutely no difference to the drug war, nor did the studies showing a lack of significant health consequences, or even the studies showing possible health benefits.Currently the drug warriors rely on the "would you want a doctor who is high operating on you or your airplane pilot high" as the major method to oppose marijuana, an obviously nonsensical reason to make something illegal, as well as periodically recycling failed theories like the gateway theory in the hope people will have forgotten or be unaware of their disproofs.Basically, marijuana prohibition is built on NOTHING. But the drug war is a well-entrenched industry. The marijuana war is such a large part of the drug war that without it the whole drug war would fall apart and put millions out of work.
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Comment #2 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 15:46:54 PT
is there a doctor in the house?
this man is sick, over taxed and over regulated, are you saying to me,that those old stoners have matured to places of power?Power that lights the Disney Sky,Not the real Night SkyThat looks upon our natural backs,How many more souls must be placed into prisons,
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Comment #1 posted by global_warming on December 06, 2006 at 15:05:57 PT
Thank You Dakota
"The excuses for the ban on marijuana burn out one by one...How long will it be before people can make this decision for themselves instead of having government entities decide for them?About as long as it takes to drag a sick and stupid pig away from the feeding trough..
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