United States: Most American adults admit to drinking alcohol but scientific experts caution alcohol products could serve as a “gateway drug” that leads individuals toward dangerous drugs
More about the news
The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reveals that drinking alcohol during one’s lifetime exists among more than 84 percent of US adults.
According to the survey, 21 percent or more underage Americans aged 12 to 17 years old reported using alcohol.
The definition of “gateway drugs” from Dr. Kenneth Spielvogel, a senior medical officer at Carrara Treatment in California, involves substances that expose individuals to new dangerous substances.
Dr. Spielvogel said marijuana is a “classic gateway drug” in his interview with Fox News Digital because the drug frequently leads people to cocaine, heroin, and other “harder drugs,” which pose greater dangers for fatal driving accidents and risky behaviors.
Is Cannabis the dangerous gateway drug or is it…
— Kevin Rutherford / Let's Truck 🇺🇸 (@lets_truck) March 3, 2025
For decades, cannabis has been demonized as the ultimate "gateway drug," accused of luring users down a dark path to harder substances like cocaine or heroin.
Yet, a recent Fox News article (March 2, 2025) highlights addiction… pic.twitter.com/l4V2jeBjrU
What more are the experts stating?
As per Spielvogel, “Any substance that impairs judgment is potentially a gateway drug, in my opinion — however, alcohol is the king of this,” Fox News stated.
“It maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population,” he added.
Furthermore, he mentioned, “I personally have seen the ravages of this — hungover victims turn to meth, cocaine, and other drugs for the ‘pick me up’ they feel they need.”
Alcohol: the first substance people try
According to Chris Tuell, a clinical psychotherapist and a chemical and behavioral addiction specialist at the Lindner Center in Mason, Ohio, for many young people, alcohol is the first substance they try.
The experimentation of new drugs becomes more probable when people start using them.
As per Tuell, “Most people can use alcohol, and it does not become problematic — but for some, it is destroying their lives,” Fox News reported.
Drinking alcohol reduces people’s ability to judge and make decisions properly, which leads them to engage in dangerous actions that might result in trying other drugs, according to Tuell.
“Studies indicate that alcohol alters brain chemistry in ways that increase susceptibility to drug addiction,” as the expert warned.
The opinion of addiction specialist Jeremy Klemanski, who serves as the CEO of Gateway Foundation Chicago, aligns with his stance that alcohol serves as a drug that leads to others.
“We often hear reports from patients that they only use or started using while drinking or that they were first exposed to alcohol and then tried other drugs for greater physical symptoms and feelings,” he added.