Alcohol is not the gateway to hard drug abuse

Much prior research has found that alcohol and/or tobacco use in early adol escence typically precedes marijuana use which typically precedes any hard drug use and abuse. This finding has been often misinterpreted as suggestin g that use of alcohol somehow "causes" subsequent hard drug abuse. This per spective has lead to the simplistic policy position that preventing alcohol use among youths will eventually solve the broader problem of substance ab use. This paper reviews the ample evidence which refutes this claim and enc ourages those involved with policy development not to oversimplify the chal lenges and problems facing youths.