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Alcohol is often labeled by addiction experts as a gateway drug, as are both tobacco and cannabis. A drug is a chemical agent capable of producing biologic responses within the body. These responses may be desirable (therapeutic) or undesirable (adverse). The term \u201cgateway drug\u201d has been used to describe habit-forming drugs that may not be addictive, but could lead to the use of other addictive drugs (NIDA, Marijuana drugFacts, 2019).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Since he had no issues with the medication, he assumes his friend shouldn\u2019t have any problems either. The woman takes some of the hydrocodone to help manage the pain from her burned hand. Once her hand is healed however, she continues to take hydrocodone even when she\u2019s not in pain. She found that she liked the euphoric feeling it gave her and began continuing to use the drug in times of stress and constantly turned toward it to help distract her from troubling family matters. People often struggle with thoughts of self-harm, especially when they are experiencing a mental health disorder. \u201cThe real \u2018gateway drug\u2019 is 100% legal.\u201d The Washington Post, January 6, 2016.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
More than 27, th grade students in New York State underwent studies for their alcohol and other drug use as part of a research study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information NCBI. Students who drink alcohol are more likely to use illegal drugs than those who don’t. They also found that marijuana users were more likely to have opportunities to use cocaine and were more likely to use cocaine when given the opportunity. This further illustrates the complex relationships between the gateway drugs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n