Started blazing (properly) in 2003, panic attack mate was 2004/5, schitzo mate was start of 2008, my panic attacks were end of 2008. We weren't smoking anywhere near that much after 2005, up to an 8th a week rather than every night. Not sure about the whole 'gateway drug' thing, the same could be said of cigarettes - most who toke tried smoking fags looonnnng before weed, and I'm quite sure many people would try other drugs without weed, it just so happens that bud is the most readily available drug and almost everyone tries it at some point (usually relatively young)!