addictive gene.... addictive personality.... who knows? I suspect there ARE such things, because I don't seem to have either. After reading all this (was out of town this weekend) I count myself very lucky. I grew up in a house full of smoke, and my younger brother started both smoking & drinking as soon as he could get away with it.
I simply never started... never had one puff of a cigarette... and I love beer, scotch, rum...etc... but simply do not over-indulge.
I have no idea whether to take credit... or just to keep feeling lucky. (I DO remember, however, when I was about 12-13, doing some arithmetic and announcing to my parents that if they had saved all the $$$$ they spent on tobacco, they could buy a new Cadillac. They were not amused.)

I do hope that reading all this helps someone.. someday... to find the strength to do what they KNOW they need to.