Initiating substance use during adolescence is one of the key risk factors for future substance use disorders, and what starts with “soft” drugs can quickly transition to more addictive and harmful substances. The best thing you can do for a teen who has started to use gateway drugs is to find help at an adolescent substance abuse treatment center. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery® at 866.300.5275 to learn more about gateway drugs examples and our addiction treatment options for adolescent boys.

What Is a Gateway Drug?

While the term “gateway drug” is familiar to many, there remains some confusion about what it exactly means. Essentially, a gateway drug refers to a substance that often leads to the use of more harmful and addictive drugs in the future. These gateway drugs are usually the most accessible substances in any given region. As a result, they are often the first point of contact for individuals experimenting with drug use. Common characteristics of gateway drugs include being perceived as:

• Less harmful compared to more potent drugs
• Non-addictive, fostering a misconception about their safety
• Low risk, encouraging experimentation among users
• Socially acceptable, which often undermines the potential dangers associated with their use

Despite these widespread beliefs, initiating the use of gateway drugs, especially at a young age, is a significant predictor of future illicit substance use and potential for developing an addiction. The transition from using substances seen as “mild” or “socially acceptable” to more dangerous and addictive substances happens as users seek more intense experiences or effects, underscoring the importance of understanding and addressing the risks associated with gateway drugs.

Examples of Gateway Drugs

Common examples of gateway drugs in the United States include marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco. They may be easily accessible to adolescents, and using them can lead teens to engage in further illicit drug use.

Alcohol

Marijuana has long been considered the primary gateway drug. However, research indicates that most people in the United States drink alcohol before taking any other substance. Alcohol use in the United States is widely socially acceptable, even among young people who aren’t of legal age to drink.

Alcohol is also widely available and underage drinkers can obtain it relatively easily. When left unattended in the house, for instance, alcohol can quickly find its way into a teenager’s hands and start them on the path to substance use.

An early age of alcohol use is a key risk factor for future addiction. Alcohol use primes the brain for addictive patterns, particularly during adolescence, when the brain is most malleable.

Tobacco

Historically, tobacco has held the position as the second substance encountered on the gateway path leading to broader substance use. However, in contemporary times, there has been a significant shift in the patterns of nicotine consumption among teenagers and adolescents. Increasingly, they are turning to electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, as their preferred method of nicotine intake.

This trend is alarming because, like alcohol, nicotine stimulates the brain’s reward centers. These are the areas closely linked with the development of addiction. The interaction between nicotine and these neural pathways is particularly concerning because early exposure to nicotine can induce lasting alterations in the brain’s structure and function.

These changes can significantly increase the likelihood of developing substance use disorders later in life. Therefore, understanding the implications of early nicotine use, especially through modern means such as e-cigarettes, is crucial for addressing and mitigating the potential long-term impacts on public health.

Marijuana

Many people think of marijuana as “the” gateway drug. However, data from the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that it’s actually the last drug in the gateway path, after alcohol and tobacco. Yet marijuana is often the first substance that puts teenagers in contact with drug dealers and carries a significant risk of legal repercussions.

Not every adolescent who uses marijuana will go on to use hard drugs. Still, many people who use hard drugs use marijuana first, according to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. If your teenager has initiated marijuana use, it might be time to find a recovery center that can help treat their substance use patterns.

Get Help at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery®

Foothills at Red Oak Recovery® is an adolescent treatment center that helps teenage boys overcome substance use and prevent future addictive behaviors. If your teenager has started using any of the gateway drugs, taking action now to help nip substance use in the bud is often the best thing you can do for their health.

Do you need to learn more about our addiction treatment programs for adolescents or to learn more about examples of gateway drugs? If so, reach out to our team by calling 866.300.5275 or by using our online contact form. Evidence-based treatment methods can help them recover and set them up for a better life in the future.