I am close to somebody who struggled with drug use. Her mistake? She trusted her doctors to care for her with her best interests in mind. That led to a dependence on pain medication. I've witnessed the battles others have fought, and have noted associations to mental health concerns.
We have a long history in this country of failed drug policy and in no small part, our failings have been rooted in misguided messaging about being strong and responsible. Drug use is often a symptom of something else going on, and we've wrongly taken a criminal justice approach to a health problem.
I highly doubt that if Gordon, in fact, is continuing to struggle with substance use, that it's as simple as he just isn't responsible enough.