New study indicates Nicotene is a gateway drug. Nicotene-->cocaine.

[sgreger1]

Nicotine primes the brain to embrace cocaine, study says

Current study looking at Nicotine as a gateway drug

Here is the cited article: Molecular Mechanism for a Gateway Drug: Epigenetic Changes Initiated by Nicotine Prime Gene Expression by Cocaine


A comment from someone on a different forum:

This article was published in a very high impact AAAS journal, and I encourage you to read the abstract. It is made very clear how they define "gateway". The experiment wanted to understand the pheonmenon of gateway mechanisms through the use of nicotine-primed mice.

They found that nicotine primed neuronal tissue by potentiating FosB expression and inhibiting HDAC. Thus the brain is more reactive to cocaine when it has been previously exposed to nicotine. The mechanism is beautifully explained in the discussion- which I encourage you to read.

Again, this is not an epidemiological or sociological study exploring correlations amongst drug-users, it is a molecular study with some behavioural measures.




In short, you're all a bunch of coke addicts, because f|_|ck you. Or something...

[Will22]

I've been smoking a pack/day for 24 years.... When exactly my cocaine addiction will kick in?

[Jimbob11]

Using the traditional definition of "gateway drug" it's obviously absurd.

But, if you really don't want your kids using coke you should try to keep them from listening to techno...

[sgreger1]

I've been smoking a pack/day for 24 years.... When exactly my cocaine addiction will kick in?

ANY SECOND now, read the article. If you use snus, you WILL be smoking crack. It's just the next logical step.

[truthwolf1]

When we waz kids.. You could barely get enough money together for a pack of smokes/dip and a six pack of beer. If you were lucky you might get a drag off of somebodys joint at a party or get a hit of LSD/shrooms but that was also a big rarity for most who dabbled. Most MJ users were stretching very small amounts compared to what I see adults use these days. COKE was very outpriced back then but also heavily advertised as being a one time death sentence (Len Bias).

[snusgetter]

I smoked for much longer than those nazi assholes have been alive...

If they are anywhere near correct in their (mis)assessments,
I gotta figure I took the wrong turn on the (gate)way!!

Smoking, for me, was a gateway to snus and snuff only!

[sgreger1]

Bunch of closet meth addicts in this thread. I think we need a Snuson Intervention for some of you junkies. The facts are the facts, statistically you should all be addicted to heroin by now if you've been smoking that long. GET SOME HELP.

[AtreyuKun]

Kick that can guys!

[timoteo]

over the counter drugs and perscription drugs are obviously the "gateway drug" what is up with thease assholes????????

[BlueSaint]

Damn, I think they have a point. Somehow I snorted lös snus yesterday, dont know why, just did it! Is that a sign?

Coke, i want some coke coke coke!!!

[sgreger1]

over the counter drugs and perscription drugs are obviously the "gateway drug" what is up with thease assholes????????

Only 15,000 people died of perscription drug overdose in 2008. Clearly this is not as big a problem as the FACT that using tobacco makes you immediately fiend for some blow.

[shikitohno]

Using the traditional definition of "gateway drug" it's obviously absurd.

Perhaps not as ridiculous as you might think. Whether or not someone smokes as a teen/young adult is statistically a better indicator of whether they will try hard drugs than whether or not they ever smoked pot. Of course, keep in mind the whole correlation and causation mantra of statisticians, but hard drug users have an abnormally high rate of smokers compared to the general population. If in doubt, drive by your nearest heroin/coke rehab, and observe the 10 or so miserable outpatients standing outside sucking down cigarettes at any given moment.

[Ansel]

My mate started on the lattes and then he went on to the cappucinos... after that, well i'm sorry but he turned to... shucks, i can't even say it... he turned to... to NICOTINE!

[Ansel]

Perhaps not as ridiculous as you might think. Whether or not someone smokes as a teen/young adult is statistically a better indicator of whether they will try hard drugs than whether or not they ever smoked pot. Of course, keep in mind the whole correlation and causation mantra of statisticians, but hard drug users have an abnormally high rate of smokers compared to the general population. If in doubt, drive by your nearest heroin/coke rehab, and observe the 10 or so miserable outpatients standing outside sucking down cigarettes at any given moment.

This is true.

[sgreger1]

Perhaps not as ridiculous as you might think. Whether or not someone smokes as a teen/young adult is statistically a better indicator of whether they will try hard drugs than whether or not they ever smoked pot. Of course, keep in mind the whole correlation and causation mantra of statisticians, but hard drug users have an abnormally high rate of smokers compared to the general population. If in doubt, drive by your nearest heroin/coke rehab, and observe the 10 or so miserable outpatients standing outside sucking down cigarettes at any given moment.

This is just the natural progression of things though. Someone who has never smoked or drank is unlikely to just jump straight into heroin, yet if you did a study on heroin users you would find that nearly 100% of them smoke and drink. Correlation!=causation like you mentioned.

If you get into the habit of taking mind altering substances, i.e. smoking pot or drinking, than you quickly build tolerance to the substance and it's effects become less pronounced with each dosage, leading to the user becoming more inclined to try something harder. If your already familiar with "getting high" or even getting that feeling you get from smoking a cig, why not try some blow, right? It's just kind of how it works, you start small and grow over time, so in a sense, anything small (like cigs or beer) is a gateway drug because it starts the line of thinking that it feels good to become inebriated. Some poeple take it further, some people stay with just cigs and booze.

Also, nicotene is really cheap and makes you feel good for a few minutes. It's use is also much more prevalent so it's easy to bum a smoke. So people who are junkies have a much easier time getting a cig to feel good for a second that getting another bag of heroin. Therefore, when not doing heroin they will most likely be smoking. Like I said, smokers and drinkers are overrepresented in the coke/hard drug community because they are all cheap and make you feel good, and often times complement the experience.