I think the biggest reason it might be a gateway drug is because it is lumped in with drugs much more severe.
Kids hear it in the same sentence with heroin and meth. DONT DO IT! IT WILL KILL YOU! Then they smoke pot for the first time and realize it is less intoxicating than alcohol.... they probably assume people were exaggerating about the hard drugs as well.
Yes, you are spot on. This is why the much-vaunted DARE program actually has a NEGATIVE correlation with drug use among young adults. And why my kids were the first ones in 6 years in their schools to not be signed up for DARE (much, much consternation ensued.....).
