The environment of much of the UK, in and of itself, seems to drive many of decent people to Drink and use Drugs. The Grain heavy nutrient deficient diet of the average Brit, clouds the judgement, and confuses the senses... it makes people feel hollow and horrid. For many people drinking Beer is actually a healthier option than eating the marmite sandwiches and crumpets served as dietary staples throughout the United Kingdom. The Sugars Glutens and yeast consumed by almost every man woman and child over there, act like drugs in the Brain...this combined with a general air of despair, leads many people over there have a transgenerational predispositions for substance abuse.
Totally Brexiting the situation by leaving the country would be a suggestion for anyone who is hopelessly addicted and needs a fresh start. Otherwise I would encourage them to get off of Grains and refined sugars first, then throw away the marmite and beer, and start drinking the purest spring water available. People do not realise how drug addictions are exacerbated by food addictions, and it may go along way to help people get off alcohol and hard drugs if they could first get off of Sugars, Grains, and processed foods.
Ive come to accept that many people are not willing to even take these first simple steps toward cleaning up their life, and in most cases its a waste of time to get into further discussions regarding adding raw meats to the diet. I also know a large number of people with these issues, and recently my cousin had died, as a result of years of Drugs, Alcohol, and Processed Foods. Many will never see the connections, but if you look at most drug addicted people, they are usually also addicted to Junk Foods, that hooked them as young children. The brain gets conditioned toward addictions, and for people already long down this road to ruin, it can be monumentally difficult to change.
I have found it best to accept that many people wont change, even if the say they want to.... to try not to make things into a personal judgement, while showing them you care for them anyway, regardless of what they are struggling with.
Humor also helps, and whenever I see someone hopelessly chasing the cycles of addiction it reminds me of poem "the perfect high"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGALoQoxXrU&feature=player_embedded