Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Behind the Gates
One interesting fallacy that continues in the Drug War and in many debates on the subject is the fallacy of marijuana as a "gateway drug".
According to the National Academy of Sciences, "there is no evidence that marijuana serves as a stepping stone on the basis of its particular drug effect".
Additionally, the Canadian Senate's Special Committee on Illegal Drugs likewise concluded that "cannabis itself is not a cause of other drug use. In this sense, we reject the gateway theory".
Some of this can be found in Janet Joy et al., eds., Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base and Pierre Claude Nolin et al, Cannabis: Our Position for Canadian Public Policy.
When it comes right down to it, many of the problems of the analysis done by those supporting the gateway drug effect is both their predetermined conclusion and the self-selection bias.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, "there is no evidence that marijuana serves as a stepping stone on the basis of its particular drug effect".
Additionally, the Canadian Senate's Special Committee on Illegal Drugs likewise concluded that "cannabis itself is not a cause of other drug use. In this sense, we reject the gateway theory".
Some of this can be found in Janet Joy et al., eds., Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base and Pierre Claude Nolin et al, Cannabis: Our Position for Canadian Public Policy.
When it comes right down to it, many of the problems of the analysis done by those supporting the gateway drug effect is both their predetermined conclusion and the self-selection bias.
