It's hard to say whether weed is the gateway to other drugs or not. Many people that I know started with weed for some reason and then moved to other heavier drugs. But again this is moving more into the area of abuse. Someone abusing weed is probably going to want to feel a greater high because they do weed so much it just doesn't feel the way it used to. I think the main thing that the government fears with all drugs is abuse. When abuse starts there are many negative affects, hurting your own body, hurting others, and the serious psychological affects that it will have on society if a large percentage abuses drugs. Another issue with drugs is that the FDA has to approves drugs for the market. So if weed and all heavy drugs were federalized (that way money wasn't lost to external countries) the government would be getting a lot of lawsuits regarding personal injury and injury to others coming there way putting the blame on the government for legalizing the drugs. Now if drugs were not federalized the government would not be sued but rather the drugs manufacturers would be much like the cigarette companies get sued. This is a tough topic for me. I fear legalizing drugs because I'm afraid it might expand the user base causing more injury to those in society not using the drugs. But my ideologies in all fields varies a whole lot from most modern day people, afterall I'm conservative, whereas I feel there is a large liberal movement right now. I have no problem with drugs harming those that use it, but I don't like to see it harm families or society. I just thought of a possible solution. Legalize weed and keep alcohol legal, but it someone is caught putting others in danger while on the weed or drunk give them the death penalty. Okay this is probably too radical for most of you so I will say 25 yrs.