I've heard a couple different stories about trying drugs like heroin. Some say that they felt addicted immediately, some say it takes a while. Then there's Carl Hart who says that he has occasionally done heroin for years without developing an addiction and he knows others like him.
If I had to guess, I'd say that there's a significant minority of people who can do addictive drugs without getting addicted and it's probably related to genetics. Maybe it has something to do with sensitivity to pain and executive function.
Either way, I don't plan on ever trying anything like that myself. I suspect that I'd be one of the unlucky ones.
This is highly plausible. Nicotine addiction seems to differ from individual to individual as well. I know people who smoke for years, then just one day decide to quit and do it without any issues[0] and stay off it for a couple of months or years and then start again, or not. Me personally I go insane within 12-24 hours of abstinence (massive anxiety/frustration) and it requires an enormous amount of willpower to get past the 48-72 hours until it starts to ease.
[0] They mostly cite the "habit" being hard to break
Most of my family growing up were smokers and always trying/going to quit. What always amazed me is many times one of them would quit for like a week or two, it was hell for them, then they’d just pick it back up saying it was just too hard. I’d think the hard part was over but then I always connected it to the social part smoking and the having something to do with their hands aspect. There’s something else besides the nicotine addiction that’s hard to kick.
If I had to guess, I'd say that there's a significant minority of people who can do addictive drugs without getting addicted and it's probably related to genetics. Maybe it has something to do with sensitivity to pain and executive function.
Either way, I don't plan on ever trying anything like that myself. I suspect that I'd be one of the unlucky ones.