It's weird... One example of a character I didn't had problem with his drug abuse is Vic from the PsyCop series. In Three of Swords I had many problems with one being so young (Cooper is 18 years old)) and the other keep buying and giving his beer or stuff with strong content of alcohol (Whiskey). Vic never did it, trying to make others take pills like him, or be stoned as he is to avoid see ghosts. And THAT'S why pills or stuff like that in in the book, not just to be there. There is a reason, a important thing to the plot. I think that's the difference. In Three of Swords the MC (Gray) not just drink but keep drinking a lot, and buying it also to Cooper, without any important reason to e plot. At all. It bothers me so much. He can be stoned as much as he want, drink as much as he want and I don't have problems with it if it's important to the story. But when it's treated as ok, and even something he want to share with his young boyfriend (that can't drink, he is not 21 so legally he can't) I have problems... Big problems. Because there is no explanation, like he want to be stoned or drunk to don't see the future... Nope, he just want to be drunk. Always.
So I want to read more :) Want to know what will happen. But I hope the constant drinking will not be there again, and cannabis will not be treated as just smoke.. Or if it's there, it's Gray not Cooper doing it... And for a good reason, not just to have alcoholic cirrhosis.