The gateway effect refers to:

Question

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The gateway effect refers to the idea that using marijuana can lead to the use of harder drugs. Some researchers argue that this is because marijuana use alters the brain in a way that makes users more susceptible to addiction or because people who use marijuana are more likely to associate with drug-using peers who expose them to other drugs. However, others argue that the gateway theory is flawed and that correlation does not necessarily imply causation. Regardless, the idea of the gateway effect has been a contentious issue in drug policy debates.

The Gateway Effect Refers To