quote:Pot is widely considered a "gateway" drug, though there is really no scientific evidence, there is certainly anecdotal evidence. Along that same vein, booze is also a "gateway" drug. Most everyone I ever knew who smoked pot, drank a beer or some other alcoholic beverage before smoking pot. That anecdotal evidence says that booze is a "gateway" drug as well. Not everyone who smokes pot or drinks goes on to other drugs. There is some generalization here. The reality is that booze is legal so it is accepted and not widely considered to be a "gateway" drug. There are many alcoholics who have never tried another drug.
All very true. Gateway doesn't mean 100% by any stretch. But you can hear acoholics or drug addicts talk and they all speak to the need for more buzz...which leads to more/stronger stuff. Some try it once, and never do it again. Some slide a long hard fall. If you hear Josh Hamilton speak, he went through A to Z step by step but all steps very fast. The only way to be safe is to not take that first step...because stopping gets progressively harder.