Health
Dangerous ‘gateway drug’ can lead to other substance use, addiction experts warn
A vast majority of American adults say they have consumed alcohol at some point — yet experts warn that alcoholic beverages could be a “gateway drug” to more harmful substances.
More than 84% of adults in the U.S. report having drunk alcohol in their lifetime, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
That same survey found that among underage Americans (12 to 17 years of age), more than 21% had consumed alcohol.
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What is a ‘gateway drug?’
Dr. Kenneth Spielvogel, senior medical officer at Carrara Treatment in California, defined a “gateway drug” as a substance that exposes someone to other drugs.
More than 84% of adults in the U.S. report having drunk alcohol in their lifetime, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (iStock)
Marijuana is often pegged as a “classic gateway drug,” he told Fox News Digital, as it can lead to cocaine, heroin and other “harder drugs” that present a greater threat to loss of life via impaired driving and other volatile behaviors.
“Alcohol maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population.”
“Any substance that impairs judgment is potentially a gateway drug, in my opinion — however, alcohol is the king of this,” Spielvogel said. “It maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population.”
“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.”
Why alcohol can be a ‘gateway’
For many young people, alcohol is the first substance they try, according to Chris Tuell, a clinical psychotherapist and a chemical and behavioral addiction specialist at the Lindner Center in Mason, Ohio. This makes them more likely to experiment with other drugs later.
“Most people can use alcohol and it does not become problematic — but for some, it is destroying their lives,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Marijuana is often pegged as a “classic gateway drug,” but one expert said that “alcohol is the king” when it comes to impairing judgment. (iStock)
Consumption of alcohol impairs judgment and decision-making, which can lead to riskier behaviors, including trying other substances, Tuell noted.
“Studies indicate that alcohol alters brain chemistry in ways that increase susceptibility to drug addiction,” the expert cautioned.
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Jeremy Klemanski, addiction specialist and CEO of Gateway Foundation in Chicago, echoes his belief that alcohol is a gateway drug.
“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 told Fox News Digital.
Research from the National Institute of Drug Abuse suggests that early exposure to alcohol can “prime the brain” for heightened responses to other drugs. (iStock)
“It is also important to note that once a person has used one mind-altering substance, their general thinking skills are impaired on some level,” he went on. “Other things they might not normally do become easier to justify or accept as an idea to act on.”
There is also a neurological element that comes into play, according to Dr. David Campbell, clinical director and program director at Recover Together Bend in Oregon.
“Alcohol affects neurotransmitter systems that are involved in the reward pathways that are similarly targeted by other drugs,” he told Fox News Digital.
Research from the National Institute of Drug Abuse suggests that early exposure to alcohol can “prime the brain” for heightened responses to other drugs, perhaps increasing the risks of the “gateway effect,” Campbell added.
Other factors at play
Experts emphasized that correlation does not equal causation.
“Just because people who use harder drugs often drink alcohol first does not necessarily mean alcohol caused their drug use,” Tuell noted.
“There are few drugs where the sudden stoppage of their use can be deadly — alcohol is one of these,” an addiction specialist warned. (iStock)
Campbell agreed, noting that many “contextual factors and psychosocial stressors” should be considered within the broader context of someone’s life.
“Social environment, stressors, ease and proximity to access, social influences, mental health conditions, childhood trauma, genetics and other biological factors may all play a role,” he told Fox News Digital.
When and how to stop
Spielvogel shared some warning signs that someone may be dependent on alcohol and more susceptible to trying other harmful substances.
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“One sign is if they have ever tried to cut down on their drinking and failed,” he said. “Also, they may be annoyed when asked about their alcohol consumption.”
People with alcohol dependency may also feel guilty when they drink, or they might consume alcoholic beverages in the morning, he added.
“It is very important that if someone has a use disorder, they seek professional help for their detox and recovery.”
Stopping “cold turkey” may not be the healthiest route, Spielvogel cautioned.
“There are few drugs where the sudden stoppage of their use can be deadly — alcohol is one of these,” he said.
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“I cannot stress this enough; it is very important that if someone has a use disorder, they seek professional help for their detox and recovery, whether it’s a private treatment facility or going to a medical professional.”
“Do not do this on your own.”
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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