Criminal Justice

In Module 2’s discussion you are to answer the following questions:

Is marijuana a “gateway” drug?
Why or why not?
What do we mean by “gateway” drug?
Is marijuana dangerous?
Should it be a focus of law enforcement?

APA format, meaning 12 point size font, Times New Roman style

USE IN TEXT CITATION!!!!

ANSWER

Marijuana as a Gateway Drug

Marijuana is a gateway drug since it is likely to lead to the use of other illicit and licit substances and develop an addiction. The gateway concept argues that recreational drugs such as Marijuana offer a harmless psychoactive encounter that leads naïve uses be vulnerable to trying harder drugs. Most individuals who rely on severe drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and meth had early encounters with Canabis before experimenting with the harder drugs (Balon, 2018). Relatively, a high percentage of individuals that use hard drugs begin with Marijuana as a recreational drug.

Substance use and disorder are linked to many factors such as personal, economic, social and genetic factors. Consumption of Marijuana is linked to the effect of the circuity of the brain such that it potentiates the effects of a subsequent drug (Williams, 2020). Among adolescents, Marijuana tends to affect the cognition and emotion circuits through disruption of signalling, impaired memory formation and decreased neurogenesis during key development periods.

Genetic studies have proved that genes can envisage the influence of cannabis consumption on subsequent heroin. For instance, the exposure of Marijuana and other illicit drugs to young people may get them introduced to the world of hard drugs and drug dealers that offer cocaine, heroin and LSD. Marijuana is one of easily accessible and affordable than other substances. This means that if one has affordability and accessibility of other hard drugs later in life may lead to cross-sensitization and willingness to engage in other hard drugs.

The gateway drug concept came from the idea that drug and substance use can occur in stages leading to addiction and severe health consequences. Gateway drugs are substances and drugs that are misrepresented to lead to the use of other more dangerous drugs. These are soft or milder substances such as alcohol or nicotine that are believed to lead to the use of hard drugs such as meth, cocaine and heroin. The gateway drug theory shows how soft drugs lead to the use of hard drugs.

During the adolescent stage and early stage of use, soft drugs lead to a dopamine boost, making the brain release less dopamine during adulthood. This results in people seeking more hard drugs that lead to severe dopamine releases. The gateway drug effect has been considered an effect that the use of a psychoactive substance increases the probability of using further substances. Therefore, the main goal of gateway drugs is to prepare the brain to respond to other substances. This increases brain activity and can lead to users more likely seeking stronger substances.

Marijuana is dangerous since it comes with real risks that can affect an individual’s health and life. Marijuana has long and short term negative effects such as a change in moods, altered sense, impaired memory and delusions. Marijuana affects the development of the brain and breathing problems (Cohen, Weizman and Weinstein, 2019). For instance, people that smoke marijuana can experience breathing problems since the smoke irritates the lungs. Disrupting the brain can influence decision-making skills which can be dangerous due to impaired judgement. Marijuana distorts individual senses that influence physical abilities with school or work and social changes.

Marijuana use should be a focus of law enforcement since illicit drugs have become a major global issue. The government and the police should continue playing a role in restricting the availability and use of illicit drugs such as Marijuana (Sacco, 2014). The huge costs and consequences to individuals remain the major focus driving the need for law enforcement that will offer effective responses to the problems linked to the use and availability of Marijuana. Law enforcement should act as a prevention tool to health and social problems linked to Marijuana.

In summation, Marijuana is a gateway drug since it leads to other subsequent hard drugs. Drug use occurs in stages and is influenced by economic, social, personal and genetic factors. Marijuana is dangerous since it has long and short term negative effects on consumer’s health and life. Therefore, Marijuana should remain a focus of law enforcement to reduce consumption and side effects linked to the accessibility of drugs.

References

Balon, R. (2018). Illegal or Legal, Marijuana Remains a Gateway Drug. Focus: Journal of Life Long Learning in Psychiatry, 16(4), 2s.

Cohen, K., Weizman, A., & Weinstein, A. (2019). Positive and negative effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on health. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 105(5), 1139-1147.

Sacco, L. N. (2014). Drug enforcement in the United States: History, policy, and trends (Vol. 7). Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.

Williams, A. R. (2020). Cannabis as a gateway drug for opioid use disorder. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 48(2), 268-274.