It's Official: Marijuana Is No Longer a Gateway Drug

But that doesn’t mean it’s not bad for you.

Marissa Miller


If there’s one piece of advice we remember school counselors drilling into our heads, it’s that marijuana is a gateway drug. What makes a gateway drug? “A drug that opens the door to the use of other, harder drugs.

Gateway drugs are typically inexpensive and readily available,” according to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.)

The discussion surrounding marijuana can be pretty confusing. Some experts say it’s innocuous under certain conditions, while some say it’s a toxic substance to be avoided at all costs — until now.
D.A.R.E has been instrumental over the years in promoting drug abstinence. But now, the organization is rethinking their strategy.
On Wednesday, a Redditor noticed that mysteriously, marijuana was no longer listed among D.A.R.E.'s other, arguably more harmful counterparts of tobacco and alcohol. The only mention of marijuana on the page falls under tobacco, citing the drug as a reason why many teens resort to cigarettes.

Leafly reached out to D.A.R.E to find out why they made the switch. Regional director, Ron Brogan said “I suppose it could have come out as part of our new curriculum, ‘Keepin’ It Real,’ and that may be the thought of the scientist that developed that,” he said. “To be quite honest, I really don’t have an answer.”
With several states nationwide legalizing (or at least decriminalizing) the drug, there ought to be a nugget of truth to its healing properties. But those benefits don’t apply to teens. Research shows marijuana use among those with developing young brains can cause cognitive decline, poor attention and memory, and decreased IQ.
So, we’re not mom or dad, nor your school counselor, but just because marijuana is no longer considered as a precursor for worse things to come, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise caution. Frequent use of cannabis definitely isn't recommended for teens.
“It needs to be emphasized that regular cannabis use, which we consider once a week, is not safe and may result in addiction and neurocognitive damage, especially in youth,” said Krista Lisdahl, PhD, director of the brain imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.