sometimes its popular in the circles you find yourself in when you aren't in a good place to make decisions. some people grew up in areas where its very popular and its hard to resist. I've been friends with alot of recovering addicts and they all have similar stories. Nicotine is a drug and drugs have always been pushed onto people who have had a harder time in life and its hard to resist a few hours of bliss when your reality is torture. thats why most people get sober because it becomes a trap. your life is hell so you do drugs but then the drugs make your life more hell. be nice to addicts and people trying to get sober because often they've just had a hard life and often regret their choices anyways. my best friend got her life together and got sober only after she got married really, once she felt she had something to live for. don't let the fact that you've never been in those sort of situations make you judge people too harshly. you should hate drugs but think of people with kindness when you can