Stages and Pathways of Drug Involvement Examining the Gateway Hypothesis

This book represents a systematic and broadly based discussion and evaluation of the Gateway Hypothesis, according to which young people who progress in the use of drugs follow a specific sequence from the use of tobacco or alcohol to the use of illicit drugs to the use of illicit drugs other than marijuana. This volume evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the hypothesis from multiple disciplinary perspectives representing sociology, psychology, epidemiology, statistics, animal behavior, molecular biology and prevention.