The Concept of "Gateway Drugs"?

i dont think smoking pot is considered a gateway drug. Ive smoked it before and never did anything else. I know lots of people that are like that, And then i know others that use it as an excuse bc they dont want anyone to think that they made that dission themselves.
They always have to blame it on something else.
So no i dont believe in that, i think people that do it, do it just bc they want to. not bc they got that way from a gateway drug. Today people have came to the point of blaming others for what they do, or something else. Take the responsabilty for yourselves.

I think it depends on the person. I agree with MR's kid A and kid B example. I have tried pot a couple of times in my life. I am not interested in doing it again and certainly not ever interested in trying anything else.

Ultimately, it's the individual who chooses to use it as a gateway drug.
People start with pot because it's the least "scary" drug. Most have seen, heard of, or know a person who smokes...has smoked over a long period of time, and is completely normal.
When you get comfortable with it, you may begin to dabble in other things. When you start dabbling, you may want something even stronger. By default you may find something paired with something else gives you a great feeling and so on and so on and so on.
For me personally, the only thing I have ever been addicted to is cigarettes.....thats not to say I haven't tried some things (including pot). I just don't have a huge addictive personality, so pot was never a gateway drug for me, but for some people I know it was. I don't crave it....I don't even think about it, but some people I talk to make comments on "man I can't wait to smoke it up." Again it's individual.
I do think people say it's a gateway drug because when you have to buy it, unless you have a legal card, you usually buy it from people who may have other "products." Eh...again, I think it's that individual.
Edited...I don't have any research to site for you...just have known some (a lot actually, lol) additcs. If you want more specifics of personal experiences (like age of person, duration of use, amount of use, etc) feel free to message me. =)

An addict is an addict before s/he ever tries any substance. The disease is in their body chemistry from the day they're born. It simply doesn't show itself until they first ingest certain substances.
It's similar to an allergy. My daughter was allergic to strawberries. But we didn't know that she was allergic until she ate them and broke out in hives.

May I ask why you are wondering?
Is this a survey?

Some things may be considered at a gateway thing.
But it is not absolute.
Anything, can be a gateway drug.
Even, a parent's prescription drugs at home.
I read a Reader's Digest article last year, that said Teens are now into taking their parent's or other adult, prescriptions.
They go over to a friend's home, and rifle through the bathroom to find it.
Some Teens die from it. Because, they do not know the dangers of prescription drugs and then mix it with alcohol, and take double doses of it to get more of a high.

"Gateway" drugs... can be anything.
Not exclusively, it being Pot.
And not all people, then go on to experiment or get addicted to other drugs.
I mean, some people are just as hooked on their pain meds. And that can start a vicious cycle too.

Gateway drugs... well to me, that is not at all finite nor absolute.

I had my share of living, when younger.
I know what these drugs are.

Drugs, are drugs.

BUT whether a person goes on and on and on with it and other drugs... just because they smoked pot... that is another different, thing.

all the best,
Susan