If ever there was a "gateway drug," it's tobacco.

Most of the "aging hippies" I know who still indulge in cannabis, occasionally or regularly, do *not* smoke cigarettes. Not "some," not "many," but nearly every one. Some never used tobacco, the others once did but have since quit. The population upon which I am reporting from personal experience is, by and large, gainfully employed, homeowning, and composed of "family people" -- parents and, in some cases, grandparents. Oh yeah -- they/we don't use other "harder" drugs, either. (Almost all will take a drink or two.)

A caveat: There are a few individuals in the same social circles who abuse prescription "downers" -- almost exclusively women, for whatever reason -- but these folks generally do not smoke (or otherwise ingest) pot. Also in general, they are able to carry on ostensibly normal lives, and do not allow their habit to overwhelm them.

In contrast, consider anyone you know who has a serious, habitual "drug problem." He/she can't last an hour without lighting up a cigarette -- right? Whether this is a manifestation of the so-called "addicitive personality" or not is moot; suffice it to say that some of those who cannot resist the siren song of the tobacco corporations exhibit a similar weakness for the addictive temptations offered by those other drug dealers who lack the protection of the law. And, conversely, almost *everyone* who has fallen prey to true narcotics additiction had long since become dependent upon tobacco.

Also, apropos of I-don't-know-what: If you ever want to witness a hotbed of chain-smoking, visit a psychiatric ward. The mentally ill are among the most desperately tobacco-addicted people anywhere in western society. I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I think it's worth consideration.

I have many more thoughts on the subject, but at this point in the discussion, I'd only be repeating what's already been said, quite articulately, by others.