This post was prompted by Lesley's earlier post on children and drugs.

I've seen a number of young people who've been involved in drug use in varying degrees over the years. The single most common thread was that in a vast majority of instances (approaching 100%) the drug users were cigarette smokers first.

Instead of looking at marijuana use as the first step toward drug use, look at cigarettes. This is not to say that every cigarette smoker goes on to drug use, of course. If you look at if from the other angle, however, there is an incredibly high correlation between cigarette smoking and drug use.

Now before any of you respond telling me you smoke and don't use drugs, re-read what I wrote. I didn't say A (cigarette use) causes B (drug use). I said that most B (drug use) is preceded by A (cigarette use). Statistical research bears me out on this to the tune of over 90%. No other factor scores nearly as highly.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), November 11, 2001

Answers

TRUE!!!!!! One of the first "defiant" acts by kids trying to look grown up in front of their peers is smoking cigarettes...not much of a hop, skip and quick jump to puffing marijuana from there......

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), November 11, 2001.

I had noticed that, but didn't know there had been studies done. Can you share your sources so I can pass the info along to my kids and friends? Thanks so much!

-- Jo (mamamia2kids@msn.com), November 12, 2001.

Gary there is only association and no causality that can be inferred from such statistics.

"Statistical research bears me out on this to the tune of over 90%. No other factor scores nearly as highly"

Over 99% of heroin addicts were previously bread consumers. 98% of alcoholics started out on milk.

-- charles (clb@dixienet.com), November 12, 2001.

Charles, you have a point, and it is easy to skew statistics-you can make statistics say what ever you want. However, Leslie has a (I think better)point when she compares both cigarette smoking and drugs as an act of defience-drinking milk is not an act of defience. Many, (not all) kids feel a need to "stake thier own ground" and separate themselves from thier parents and family-which is what is suppose to happen so that they are independent adults. Unfortantly, many kids think the way to do that is to defy their parents or to do what their parents are against to "prove" they are thier own person. I think (I hope) that in encouraging and supporting your child in thier own interests and showing them at an early age that they are unique people, they won't feel such a need to defy everyone when they get older, or at least that defience will come in more healthy forms, Although I really want my kids to go to my college-my son has already said he wants to go else where-if his "defience"is going to a major university instead of a small private college, I can certainly live with that.(gladly)

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), November 13, 2001.

I completely agree with Gary and Leslies information.

I tried cigarettes when in junior high, to be "cool" Got dizzy enough to puke, so decided that puking didn't look cool. Later tried marijuana (and I inhaled; might as well do it right), but didn't like the paranoia it caused. So thank goodness that drug habit didn't take.

Later on, I began smoking cigarettes in morning to wake up for college and early overtime at work. Continued smoking for 18 years, building up to half a pack a day. It is very easy to quit, I've done it dozens of times. I finally quit for good 3 1/2 years ago, when my wife was pregnant and ORDERED me to give that up. She didn't want to risking our child to asthma, and I agreed.

To my surprise, this time was very easy (Thank you God!). Have been smoke free since that time. Still miss it occasionally, but will not ever do that again.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), November 13, 2001.

oops sorry for the missspelling of your name Lesley.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), November 13, 2001.

Congratulations j.r., I have never smoked, but my sister, two brothers and Dad do/did. My Dad quit when he had a heart attack. My sister and brothers have tried to quit, and I keep hoping they will be able to beat this habit. I tell my children constantly to never start, as it is easier not to start than to quit...

-- Melissa (me@home.net), November 13, 2001.

Melissa, I am positive the key to giving up the smoking is actually WANTING TO QUIT. If you make your mind up to do it, you will succeed. But you have to want to do it. Not for no one else but yourself.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), November 13, 2001.

Charles, I believe the reason it's easy to correlate tobacco smoking and marijuana smoking is it's the same process- Smoking. Think about how a first cigarette tastes. Now add to that the stronger bite and taste of marijuana along with the paranoia for a first "smoke" for someone. Doesn't it seem that it would be an easier step for someone who already smokes to try marijuana than for someone who has never smoked anything? To me it's logical and intuitively accurate.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), November 13, 2001.

I am so thankful to God that I never started using nicotine or alcohol. I don't do things half-way, it's pull out all the stops and full speed ahead. If I had done either, I would have probably been long dead. When I entered nurses' training in 1954, 2 of the 34 girls in my class smoked and tried to entice the rest of us. I had 7 brothers, parents (and later my husband) who did not smoke, so I knew better than to try. Besides, it was expensive. By the time we finished training three years later, most of the girls smoked. At our 40th reunion, only one still smoked, and she said she wished she hadn't started.

-- gibson girl (bobtravous@email.com), November 13, 2001.