Michel Boucher wrote:

> > They did not waste the
> > little money they had on drugs and booze.
>
> Probably because they had hope for a better future. Sadly enough, there
> are many people who do not and who, for reasons that elude the vast
> majority, turn to drugs and alcohol as a means to dull the pain of utter
> hopelessness. Do away with hopelessness and the drug/alcohol problem will
> be resolved in most cases.
>
> Blaming someone for not having hope is like blaming someone for having a
> club foot or being a pinhead conservative.

Curiously, throwing more money at the problem seems to be what many people
expect.