Supporters refer to ample research that strengthens the theory. For example, in 2016 the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that teens who use gateway drugs are 266 times more likely to develop a cocaine addiction than those who do not.
The study, based on a survey by the NIDA, also found that nearly all cocaine users tried marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol first. Nearly 90 percent tried all three substances first.
- Children who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than non-marijuana users.
- Children who drink are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than nondrinkers.
- Adults who used marijuana as children are 17 times more likely to be regular cocaine users.
- Adults who drank as children are six times more likely to be regular cocaine users.
“Our results suggest that cannabis use appears to be associated with an increased vulnerability to developing an alcohol use disorder, even among those without any history of this,” the study’s lead author Renee Goodwin, PhD, said in a Columbia University press release. “Marijuana use also appears to increase the likelihood that an existing alcohol use disorder will continue over time.”
A 2017 study by Columbia University researchers found that rats who were exposed to alcohol were much more likely to seek cocaine than rates who weren’t exposed to alcohol. The study, which was published in Science Advances, also found genetic changes in the brains of the rats that increased their risk of cocaine use.
Although no evidence confirms the gateway drugs theory, many trends lend credence to it.
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What Are Common Gateway Drugs?
Alcohol, marijuana and nicotine are commonly talked about as gateway drugs. In recent years, illicit opioids, prescription drugs and other common substances have joined the category.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that impairs brain function and motor skills. In 2014, nearly 88 percent of adults reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lives, and nearly 25 percent reported binge drinking in the past month.
Alcohol is probably a gateway drug, according to the results of multiple studies.
A University of Florida study found that students who used alcohol were 16 times more likely to use illicit substances, such as cocaine and amphetamines, down the road. Many students began with socially acceptable substances such as alcohol or cigarettes before transitioning to marijuana, then harder drugs.
Adam E. Barry, who co-authored the study, told UF News the findings “add further credence to the literature identifying alcohol as the gateway drug to other substance use.”
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Opioids
- Marijuana
Multiple studies reveal drinking at a young age affects drug use later in life. A 2016 study published in the Journal of School Health found sixth-graders went on to try nearly two illicit drugs later in life.
A Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey revealed underage drinkers were more likely to use illicit drugs within two hours of alcohol use than legal drinkers. A majority of teen drinkers consumed illicit drugs, such as marijuana.
Marijuana
Marijuana is a substance that alters a person’s attention, motivation, memory and ability to learn. More than 22 million people reported using marijuana in the past month in 2014, per NIDA, making it the most used illicit drug in the U.S.
Weed is commonly recognized as a gateway drug. However, its association to harder drugs has been widely debated.
Many believe marijuana builds a person’s tolerance to stronger drugs, and certain studies back up this idea. A study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy found that nearly 45 percent of regular marijuana smokers used another illicit drug later in life.
One of those drugs is heroin. Studies suggest the majority of heroin users began with alcohol or marijuana. In fact, marijuana users are three times more likely than nonusers to abuse heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Ecstasy
- Marijuana
Adolescents who smoke marijuana are more likely to use harder drugs, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
- 30 times more likely to use crack cocaine.
- 20 times more likely to use ecstasy.
- 15 times more likely to abuse prescription painkillers.
- 14 times more likely to abuse over-the-counter medications.
Another study, by the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that individuals who used marijuana by age 17 were two to five times more likely to experience substance abuse later in life than those who did not.
The study also found that alternative factors, such as depression, social anxiety and parental conflicts, had a minimal impact on the results. This goes against the idea that environmental factors are the leading cause of substance abuse.
However, a report by the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that marijuana’s influence as a gateway drug is contingent on factors such as employment status and other life events. It does suggest a moderate relationship between marijuana use and other illicit drug abuse.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug abuse has exploded in popularity. About 52 million Americans 12 and older have used prescription drugs non-medically in their lifetime, per NIDA. Opioids are the most abused prescription drugs.
Prescription drugs are linked to heroin use. Heroin is a synthesized opioid that can be cut with other prescription drugs, such as fentanyl, to achieve a more potent high. Many prescription drugs have similar effects to heroin, which has led to many opioid abusers transitioning to the substance. The substances are extremely dangerous. Heroin and fentanyl have been linked to thousands of overdose deaths in recent years.
Opioid users are 40 times more likely to abuse heroin than nonusers, per the CDC. In comparison, people addicted to alcohol were two times more likely to abuse heroin than nonusers. Marijuana users were three times more likely to abuse heroin.
Also, nearly half of young heroin users surveyed in three studies reported abusing prescription opioids first, according to NIDA. In fact, many opioid abusers switch to heroin because it is a cheaper option.
Ritalin, a prescription medication administered to children with ADHD, has been linked to cocaine use. Both drugs are stimulants, which increase alertness and productivity. Both have similar properties and increase dopamine levels. Consequentially, former Ritalin users are more susceptible to cocaine abuse, per Utah’s Genetics Science Learning Center.
Nicotine
Researchers have long recognized tobacco products as gateway drugs. In 2011, scientists fed rats nicotine-laced water for seven consecutive days. The results, published in Science Translation Medicine, revealed that the critters had an increased response to cocaine afterward.
The study also found that nicotine increased levels of FosB, a gene in the brain linked to cocaine addiction. Researchers believe a similar effect can occur in humans, who share the gene, and that children are particularly at risk.
