Anyone I know who partakes in the recreational use of 'illegal drugs' will tell you that their gateway drugs were Cigarettes and Alcohol.
I often find that in these debates the legalise camp usually have their facts and figures down to a t but most (not all) of the anti camp are spouting rhetoric which you'd hear from the Sun and other such rags,
The War on drugs has been lost so its time to look for a new initiative which might work.
Grow your own with a license maybe? And if after a while it fails well then revoke all licenses and destroy all the plants.
Something needs to be done as the 'problem' isnt going away you know.