Study: The ‘gateway drug’ is alcohol, not marijuana - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Jack Trades;36701236]Make consumable Ethanol illegal, make weed legal. Everyone profits. EDIT: Also to everyone who says smoking weed is dangerous, there are tons of other ways to effectively consume weed that don't require smoking and the actual drug part of weed can easily be synthesized into a liquid.[/QUOTE] I want one of those weed sodas, though I heard they don't get you high really. No problem, just up the ante in them.

America's drug policy runs on politics, not science. This study doesn't matter one bit to the people running the show. [editline]10th July 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Jack Trades;36701236]Make consumable Ethanol illegal, make weed legal. Everyone profits. EDIT: Also to everyone who says smoking weed is dangerous, there are tons of other ways to effectively consume weed that don't require smoking and the actual drug part of weed can easily be synthesized into a liquid.[/QUOTE] Alternatively, keep consumable ethanol legal(because Prohibition worked out [I]so fucking well[/I] last time) and completely legalize cannabis.

[QUOTE=Madman_Andre;36703521]Alternatively, keep consumable ethanol legal(because Prohibition worked out [I]so fucking well[/I] last time) and completely legalize cannabis.[/QUOTE] That's probably the best, because I personally think that if someone wants to ruin their liver/lungs, they should have a right to do so.

meh i tend to disagree, as a result of marijuana I have tried other forms of drugs and began smoking cigarettes. But i'm sure that's not true for everyone, however I've seen people do weed, then try salvia, try shrooms, try MDMA, try DXM then try doing cocaine or something crazy. So idk, i'm sure people will want to disagree with me, but this is from my experience, and i've seen these things ruin some of my closer friends' lives.

[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;36698444]Any burning particle that you introduce to your lungs on a frequent basis will eventually do damage to them.[/QUOTE] Luckily vaping weed doesn't introduce any burning particles and only introducing vaporised THC, the same shit happens in a shower with water droplets dude.

Alcohol is just fine as long as you know how to use it.

The Gateway Theory is all bullshit, and exists in most aspects of today's society. We as people are prone do trying different things. If you try Chinese a food for the first time and love it, you're going to be about 50% as likely to go back and try a different dish. It's just how we work. [QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;36698444]Any burning particle that you introduce to your lungs on a frequent basis will eventually do damage to them.[/QUOTE] Ban campfires and cooking inside the house!

[QUOTE=Str4fe;36707004]Alcohol is just fine as long as you know how to use it.[/QUOTE] Exactly, lots of things are - even heroin if clean, unadulterated, and of known strength, and injected with clean paraphenalia. But hey, politicians know better so listen to them - they have a moral lesson for you! The lesson is: let them dictate your personal morality especially with drugs or you will be in danger!

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;36693114]So the relatively non addictive, all natural illegal substance is not the gateway; but the legal and addictive alternative, which is processed and can kill you is actually the gateway? Guess there's always a first time.[/QUOTE] claiming alcohol is processed is like claiming marijuana is processed, lol

yeah and implying just because something is natural it is safe is really misleading get back to me when you've smoked a few doobies of nightshade

Yeah sounds like common sense to me. in Saudi Arabia

[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;36698444]Any burning particle that you introduce to your lungs on a frequent basis will eventually do damage to them.[/QUOTE] yo man 50 cent got shot 9 times if he can survive that having a bong hit isnt going to send you flying head first into a coffin

You guys better not get rid of my booze.

can't i just do both in peace :(

[QUOTE=RichyZ;36708924]whats wrong with saudi arabia they have perfectly fair and balanced laws there[/QUOTE] Really?

Another nail in the coffin for marijuana prohibition. I dont believe in the whole gateway drug thing since no drug is going to magically grab hold of you and convince you to try other drugs. It has to do with the person, and if they are into the idea of drug use, they are going to try what they want no matter what drug they started on. Its like what he said [QUOTE=Klammyxxl;36707677]The Gateway Theory is all bullshit, and exists in most aspects of today's society. We as people are prone do trying different things. If you try Chinese a food for the first time and love it, you're going to be about 50% as likely to go back and try a different dish. It's just how we work. [/QUOTE] Yes you can predict peoples drug use by what they start with, but you could also predict it by asking them what their personal views are on drug use in the first place.

I.M.O. the whole 'gateway drug' thing is nonsense and the real culprit is peer pressure.

[QUOTE=JustExtreme;36708863]yeah and implying just because something is natural it is safe is really misleading get back to me when you've smoked a few doobies of nightshade[/QUOTE] That is exactly what I was about to post. Literally.

Everyone likes to say that these drugs, like heroin or cocaine, are relatively harmless if used correctly and with the proper precautions, but the thing is, whether legalized and regulated or not, there will always be a large majority of people that abuse a substance and/or don't know what they can handle. The problem is everyone who tries a drug thinks they know enough about it to be educated enough to do it, when that isn't always the case. People get hooked to drugs like cocaine, heroin, hell, even alcohol, because they are misinformed about the fact that, yes, they are dangerous. Yes, drugs are dangerous. Marijuana, is dangerous, especially if people use the fake synthetic shit that you can buy legally (at least here in Texas) There is no perfect way to deal with drugs, because humans and drugs are just so unstable around eachother. Everyone has different ways of handling them, and not everyone is fit for every drug, but people don't realize that. Educate people, warn them about the actual dangers of the drug and not some "if you smoke weed you die" bullcrap, and then let them decide for themselves what is worth doing or not. Honestly, I'd rather have a society where no one drinks and everyone smokes marijuana than vice versa, but that won't happen because life's tough and some people can't handle it so they use drugs. Which is perfectly acceptable, but still the reasoning nonetheless.

I'd rather the drug be legalized or decriminalized so there's no stigma to go and get treatment if you abuse cocain or heroin or whatever. As it stands there's not much support for addicts.

[QUOTE=V12US;36717740]I.M.O. the whole 'gateway drug' thing is nonsense and the real culprit is peer pressure.[/QUOTE] Yeah not always though. A lot of it stems from curiosity and boredom too. I tried weed initially because I was both of those things :P I think it is pretty normal to be interested in varying your conciousness whether through drugs or other experiences. [editline]11th July 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Lambeth;36718293]I'd rather the drug be legalized or decriminalized so there's no stigma to go and get treatment if you abuse cocain or heroin or whatever. As it stands there's not much support for addicts.[/QUOTE] I agree, there is even an antidote to heroin overdose that is very effective but was not used on a widespread basis for a long time in the US because of moral objections i.e. junkies should die and are a waste of resources, etc. I forget what it's called...

[QUOTE=JustExtreme;36719120]I agree, there is even an antidote to heroin overdose that is very effective but was not used on a widespread basis for a long time in the US because of moral objections i.e. junkies should die and are a waste of resources, etc. I forget what it's called...[/QUOTE] It's called Naloxone, commonly called Narcan as a brand name. It blocks opioid receptors in the brain, stopping opiate effects. It can save someone's life if they're overdosing, but it isn't often used for long term dependence. For that there's Naltrexone, (Vivitrola or something is the brand name) which can be given to people in monthly shots to help addiction. After taking Naltrexone, you might as well be shooting water.