PURPOSE: The main purposes of this study are to examine whether and to what extent ecstasy use serves as a gateway to the use of such hard drugs as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine and compare ages of onset of alcohol and marijuana use and subsequent use of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine among young adult ecstasy users. METHODS: Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 268 young adult ecstasy users in Atlanta, GA. Subjects were solicited by using the community identification process, including targeted sampling and guided recruitment. Data analysis involved discrete-time event-history analysis. RESULTS: Results suggest that age of onset of ecstasy use influences the initiation of cocaine and methamphetamine use for our sample of active ecstasy users. In addition, alcohol and marijuana use precedes the initiation of cocaine and methamphetamine use, but only marijuana use influences the initiation of heroin use. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential progression of drug use proposed in the gateway literature is not immutable. Researchers must take into account the changing popularity of drugs over time, such as the emergence of ecstasy use, when identifying patterns of drug-use onset.
PURPOSE: The main purposes of this study are to examine whether and to what extent ecstasy use serves as a gateway to the use of such hard drugs as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine and compare ages of onset of alcohol and marijuana use and subsequent use of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine among young adult ecstasy users. METHODS: Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 268 young adult ecstasy users in Atlanta, GA. Subjects were solicited by using the community identification process, including targeted sampling and guided recruitment. Data analysis involved discrete-time event-history analysis. RESULTS: Results suggest that age of onset of ecstasy use influences the initiation of cocaine and methamphetamine use for our sample of active ecstasy users. In addition, alcohol and marijuana use precedes the initiation of cocaine and methamphetamine use, but only marijuana use influences the initiation of heroin use. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential progression of drug use proposed in the gateway literature is not immutable. Researchers must take into account the changing popularity of drugs over time, such as the emergence of ecstasy use, when identifying patterns of drug-use onset.
Authors: Joshua Aaron Ginzler; Bryan N Cochran; Melanie Domenech-Rodríguez; Ana Mari Cauce; Leslie B Whitbeck Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2003 Feb-May Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia; Silvia S Martins; Lúcio Garcia de Oliveira; Margriet van Laar; Arthur Guerra de Andrade; Sergio Nicastri Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2013-08-06 Impact factor: 4.328