I love your strong and valid points. And I whole heartedly agree, with many of the things you stated. I used to work in retail, and selling alcohol and cigarettes to people, I would notice some would just come in repeatedly on the same day buying more six packs and twelve packs. Along with absurd amounts of tobacco. I also understand that many of those people that have those addictions are usually those with little education, and work blue collar jobs. I have also been unfortunate to work in towns where the majority of my customers always wanted "a glass rose and a brillo pad". Sad to see how people let themselves waste away and trash their bodies with reckless abandon, but that's their personal choice, and so long as they don't harm me or anyone else I'm not going to confront them about it.
On the same token though, I have known people who do drugs (some legal, some not) who are still productive to society, some are musicians who also work jobs during the day and play in bars and clubs at night. Others are art students who use them as a form of helping their creativity. And then there are also the graduates I know who have done it since high school, and yet are successful in their life. Go to just about any university these days, you'll even see organizations like NORML and students talking about marijuana rather casually. In the end, it really does boil down to personal responsibility. I've seen burnt out stoners who dropped out of high school working dead end jobs, yet also know college graduates who smoke the same thing the deadbeats do and are still able to pay bills on time, and raise their kids. I've met cokeheads who I would never want to meet in a dark alley, but I also know one who is a few years away from starting his own construction company.
Epyon
P.S: I don't want people to get the impression that I hang out with people like this all the time, I do have my share of straight edge friends too who don't smoke drink or do anything, however I would like to state that everyone has their vices. My vice consists of sitting on my fat butt all day and crusing through the mean streets of the internet.
