Impeccable logic as always, Nick. Addicts can begin recovery when they themselves realize they have an addiction, and they will definitely need to be treated differently for a while at least. Lots of addicts have fucked up their neurotransmitters enough that their judgment about their situation is clouded. People in the addict's life who care are often treated as an annoyance or "no fun," (or an incel prude) and those relationships become strained or end. An addict is always an addict, anyone in recovery can tell you that. You're either active or in recovery. Practicing or non-practicing, as it were. If you're doing "mountains of coke" for months, it's more likely than not that you have some level of addiction. Sorry bout it.
Does he not realize that his explanation of how people see addicts is how HE sees addicts? The label of addiction does not strip humanity from a person. Do you know what does? Not behaving like a human. Rejecting the comfortable life handed to you, your few responsibilities, and your place in the community in favor of lizard brain activities.
"An object lesson in bad timing"? Way to externalize there. What's good timing for torpedoing your life? "Can you come back in like 3 weeks, Officer Pomplun? It's just not a good time for me." He started to get it right with the "poor choices" statement but I cannot imagine what "unfortunate variables" in his situation were beyond his control/ not created by his actions.