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Drug Addiction
The percentage of experimenters who become addicts is impossible to determine;
however, the important percentage to remember is that 100% of addicts
started as experimenters.
The Partnership for A Drug-Free America suggests that there are several stages of substance abuse that the addict passes through on the way to addiction. As stated above, the initial stage is:
1) Experimentation: This is a completely voluntary situation, although younger people may be encouraged to experiment as a result of peer pressure. Even adults experiment by, for example, drinking to cope with outside pressures. Beyond the urge to simply “try it,” there is generally an underlying issue that the experimenter is trying to “treat” or self-medicate. The adult treats stress with alcohol, while a teenager might try marijuana as an attempt to deal with anger, fear or loneliness.
2) Regular Use: If the experimenter feels that the substance use helped deal with the underlying problem, he or she will adopt this behavior as a regular coping mechanism. At this stage, addiction hasn’t appeared yet. If the issue or problem eventually goes away, many regular users will stop on their own.
3) Risky Use: “Risky” in this case can be defined as using more or stronger substances, or using in situations that have some inherent element of risk on their own (such as drinking, then driving). Other examples of risk include sexual activity while under the influence (which may lead to unprotected sex) or “binge” using (increasing the amount or frequency of drinking or drug use). If your behavior—or the behavior of someone you care about—becomes a concern, this is the time to seek help.
4) Dependence: 
By now, the things that used to be fun,
or simply manageable, without alcohol or drugs have changed. You may not
be out of control yet, but you sense that you need the effect of some
substance to “get through the day” or enjoy yourself. Once
a person is dependent on the effects of drugs, they may feel (or demonstrate)
signs of the problem: failing to show up for school or work, using in
situations that can be hazardous, or repeatedly finding themselves in
legal trouble.
5) Addiction: At this stage, the user has uncontrollable cravings for drugs or alcohol. They obsess over how they will find more, and they fantasize about how they will feel once they’re able to use again. Despite severe and negative consequences (arrest, losing their job, sickness, etc), they are unable to stop. This situation will progressively become worse, if left untreated.
The good news is, treatment works. Addiction is a disease—a medical condition that requires professional help in order to stop its progression. People who get treatment, get better. With ongoing support and care, they can return to full and happy lives.
It’s also important to know that treatment is effective, even when the potential addict doesn’t feel they “want” it. Studies have consistently shown that those who enter drug treatment at the urging of friends, family or the legal system can actually do comparatively better in treatment programs.