The Reason That Marijuana is a Gateway Drug
"I hope they never make pot legal. I'd be out so much business!"
-J., a drug dealer
Earlier, J. and his partner professed to me the harmless nature of cocaine, which they claimed is perfectly safe and "not really addictive if you only use it once or twice a week." The reason that pot is a gateway drug is that children are lied to about it, and people like J. score a strong victory in a kid's trust when they're right; pot is as much fun and as harmless as promised.
His pitch fell on deaf ears, as I long ago made up my mind about coke, but I shudder to think how many people they've sold with that same speech. It was certainly well-rehearsed. If pot was legalized, people looking for a harmless high would never come in contact with people like J., and the palpable harm of harder drugs like cocaine would require no falsehood to speak against it. Pot is a gateway drug because it is a gateway to drug dealers, and a gateway for dealers into people's trust.
-J., a drug dealer
Earlier, J. and his partner professed to me the harmless nature of cocaine, which they claimed is perfectly safe and "not really addictive if you only use it once or twice a week." The reason that pot is a gateway drug is that children are lied to about it, and people like J. score a strong victory in a kid's trust when they're right; pot is as much fun and as harmless as promised.
His pitch fell on deaf ears, as I long ago made up my mind about coke, but I shudder to think how many people they've sold with that same speech. It was certainly well-rehearsed. If pot was legalized, people looking for a harmless high would never come in contact with people like J., and the palpable harm of harder drugs like cocaine would require no falsehood to speak against it. Pot is a gateway drug because it is a gateway to drug dealers, and a gateway for dealers into people's trust.