Hey, Friendinneed, and welcome!! The others are 100% right, even if it's hard to hear! Those of us that haven't been alcoholics or drug addicts have had to deal w/ them and know every trick in the book!
Before I got sober, it took a serious kick in the pants from my former employer for me to seek help. No longer would he accept excuses for coming in late (if at all), and no longer would he sit back and watch my life deteriorate. It was the push I needed to get myself help. In the end, I wasn't mad at him at all (although the same reaction may not come from your friend...but you never know..) - I thanked him for caring and helping me get my life back.
Good luck and let us know how things are going, k?