[lazyjones]

I learned several things the hard way this year:

- stay away from people who have shown bad character traits in the past (e.g. cheating, violence, drug abuse...) even if they downplay/justify it and behave reasonably towards you for a long time

- Severe health issues can creep up on you even if you have no symptoms and live a reasonably healthy life (no smoking/drinking/weight/obvious environmental issues). I apparently lost either the genetic or Chernobyl lottery and had a rare tumor removed that nearly left me quadriplegic. My typing speed is now approx. 1/5th of what it was before and my hands ache all day, but fortunately I can still walk and do most things like before.

[jabgrabdthrow]

How is drug use a character trait? More than half of Americans drink alcohol. Nobody gets addicted to anything on purpose...

[lazyjones]

> How is drug use a character trait?

Some people will observe the effect of drugs on themselves and avoid them or limit the consumption because of it.

Some people will actively seek drugs despite the risks and downsides because they want an easy solution for life's problems and that's the character trait I mean.