Yes the path is open to everybody but some people struggle so much more than others. A point that he makes is that once you/your soul knows you want to heal that aspect of your/itself you will keep encountering situations/obstacles to reaffirm that choice and it will keep getting more and more difficult to remain unhealed. The price of continuing will get higher and higher.
How we all choose to perceive the struggle with our addictions and how we choose to learn whatever our lessons are is personal to each of us. What he encourages people to do is to learn to overcome them not through fear but empowerment.