I've been there myself wrt marijuana addictions as a response to stressors, but if it wasn't herb it was alcohol would likely be the next best thing in the cases in the article. Legalization and regulation is key regardless as Drug War legislation and it's effects are uniquely tied to legalization/regulation. The real problem for America unfortunately in the face of the addictions issues is that there's just too little mental health support for people publically and privately, and too many seemingly anonymous forces bearing on the stability of our lives. No amount of Munchausen-esque pulling oneself up by the hairs on one's head can respond to that kind of complexity. We simply aren't evolved for it at the present time.