Gneiss~
It does seem that the education about addictions is lacking in some ways. I should know. The night after a DARE meeting when I was in middle school my girlfriend and I both got MIPs. (Minor in Possession) I remember that they talked about everything except for how fun it can be in the beginning. I think that adding that honesty would help for sure.
I love the show Intervention. That coupled with honesty about how it can be fun at first could go along way teaching teens about addiction. Just my opinion.
Thanks for the interesting thread.