I view abstinence as a resource – some have more access to it than others based on the power their identities afford them. If you’re interested in my approach to substance use, you may want to read my “I’ve been to rehab four times…..” piece. I’m not brushing you off, but this is too nuanced to respond to succinctly. In short, we need to change the way we frame substance use. It is not unto itself a problem, but our societal response to it is.