Whether teenagers who smoked pot will use other illicit drugs as young adults has more to do with life factors such as employment status and stress, according to the new research. In fact, the strongest predictor of whether someone will use other illicit drugs is their race/ethnicity, not whether they ever used marijuana.
The "gateway drug" theory was always laughable for any of us that have grown up with common illicit and casual use of pot. The whole reason it's used by so many American (and other western) kids is that it is just one step up from Cigarettes, a small upward dose of rebellion and commonality -- but not too much rebellion.
It certainly doesn't make you want to take heroin, cocaine or meth. I'd bet alcohol abuse leads to a hell of a lot more of that than pot.
Of course, for me personally, the feeling of inhaling any kind of smoke is off-putting so it's a vice I never had much trouble with.
fez tip Watertiger.