Just because I was talking about addicts, doesn't mean that I think every drug user is a stereotypical addict. Likewise, just because I said that a large number of kids are getting addicted to drugs, doesn't mean that I said that all drug users started as children. Initially, I just mentioned that there is an absurd number of children being exposed to extremely harmful drugs before they are old enough to legitimately make a decision for themselves. There are drugs that are relatively harmless and then there are drugs that will literally destroy your life in a short amount of time, like Meth or Crack. On a personal level I don't really care what a consenting adult does as long as they keep it off the roads, out of the workplace, and as long as it doesn't cause them to mistreat, abuse, or neglect their families.

I've encountered many types of drug users in my lifetime. Several years ago we let my brother in law live with us for 6 months because he was homeless and trying to get off of heroin. He started doing hard drugs as a young teenager because his adopted parents were abusive drug addicts. We watched him regain his health only to have him get addicted to pain medication just a few months after he moved away.

On the other side of the spectrum, I've run into people who have used drugs for 30-40 years for recreational purposes, while enjoying a happy marriage, successful kids, and a steady job.