Steppingstone Theory - Criticisms

Criticisms

The gateway theory has been the subject of much criticism. Perhaps most common is the claim that gateway theory proponents commit either the post hoc ergo propter hoc or the cum hoc ergo propter hoc logical fallacies. In the latter case, it is argued, proponents of the gateway theory invalidly infer a causal relationship between two variables (in this case, the relationship between the use of less harmful soft drugs and the use of more dangerous hard drugs) from a relationship between the two variables that is strictly correlational.

Alternative explanations for the correlation between the use of soft drugs (e.g., marijuana) and the use of hard drugs (e.g., cocaine, heroin) include, but are not limited to:

• Some individuals are, for whatever reason, willing to try any substance, and the "gateway" drugs are merely the ones that are (usually) available at an earlier age than the harder drugs.
• Particularly for cannabis, which is illegal, exposure to the black market (where harder drugs are available) is suggested to be the real cause.
• For teenagers, credibility of adults is eroded when the dangers of the "gateway" drugs are exaggerated or made up, leading them to think all anti-drug messages are nonsense.
• The peer environments in which "gateway" drugs are used can sometimes overlap with the ones in which harder drugs are used, especially in societies that prohibit the substances or impose very high age limits.
• Due to the nature of their merchandise, dealers of the harder illicit drugs may be unwilling to reveal themselves to those unfamiliar with the "gateway" drugs.