More Evidence on Marijuana Gateway Effect Researchers continue to regard marijuana as a gateway drug, and have demonstrated continuing patterns for the risk of marijuana use. Kosterman et al. Young people exposed to others who use drugs are at higher risk for early use. Proactive parents can help delay drug use.
Parents continue to be a critical link in combating drug use.
A second serious implication of this research is the effect that drug use by friends and siblings has on drug initiation. Efforts of the drug culture and entertainment media to glamorize and encourage drug use undermine prevention efforts and risk increasing adolescent drug use. Drug Watch International is a non-profit organization concerned with effective international policies and strategies which discourage drug use, oppose legalization of illicit drugs, and provide accurate scientific information on drug use.