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The #1 gateway drugs to "hard drugs" are actually alcohol and tobacco. Pot is definately a step along the way. You'll find studies that "prove" this too... But just because someone drinks or smokes cigarettes, that doesn't mean that they're going to continue on harder drugs, or a life of crime. Same with pot.

I think that one could take your argument and conclude that the #1 gateway drug is "mother's milk" because virtually all drug addicts have used mother's milk.

The difference between cigarettes and alcohol to pot are small but measureable.

Keep in mind, a kid who uses any of the above has already demonstrated a few things;
1) Willingness to defy authorities to the extent of illegality
2) Disregard for their health

With cigarettes, there is not much of a buzz involved, but there is a strong sense of "maturity".

Alcohol provides the buzz in addition to the sense of maturity that its young users obtain.

But pot, while useful as a defiance or maturity play, is not going to be used unless someone wants to get a buzz.

So you can have kids do smokes to be adult or defiant.

You can have kids do alcohol to be adult, defiant or get a buzz.

But the kids who smoke pot are doing it to be adult, defiant, AND get a buzz. Therefore, getting a buzz is directly related to smoking pot.

Once you establish the desire to get a buzz, moving on to other drugs that do the same thing without the smell, get you up rather than down, help you lose weight, or whatever become direct paths.

On the other hand, a kid who smokes cigarettes is just as likely to go out for the football team to be adult and depending on their desire to demonstrate defiance, might just get into fights during the game or taunt the opposition.

In short, there are many elements to how a gateway drug works, but pot is definitely a gateway for those who want to get a buzz to move on to stronger drugs. Its accessability to kids makes it a major gateway drug.