An Open Secret

Evil POS I may be... There's a price to get what you want... the bigger the wish, the bigger the price, usually more 'blood' than "sweat and tears".
Children... and most Adults are probably not "mature" enough to actually consent. Consent requires understanding and having enough maturity to choose willingly. Like children, most people put into situations where wealth, power, and drugs are concentrated rarely choose to act responsibly even when they know they should.
Is it seriously F*cked; absolutely, does it happen everyday, absolutely. Sometimes it's taking the D, sometimes it's working yourself until you can feel your soul start to kill itself out of misery for the sake of someone else' happiness or so the welfare whore can live comfortably without working.
"There is nothing I can do to help the one who refuses to be saved."
The one who sees the truth, knows that the needle in their hand will absolutely kill them, and for a few moments that struggle lasts and they are miserable beyond description, then a deep breath, a calm patient smile full of anticipation as they push you away and start looking for a vein...
There are any number of paths out; it's being willing to see them, having the will to face the direction of the path and the resolve to follow that path. Step after begrudging step onwards, forever and ever, infinitely far away; yet to "escape" that hell requires walking through it once more. The entire distance must be retread, only without the sweet poison that numbs the pain. Each step will get worse and worse and worse through that near endless expanse, knowing that the tiniest bit (of anything) to "help you get by" will put you right back at the start...
It's a gut kicking, heart breaking, sight to watch; watching someone burning, in agony taking step after step, praying for their release from hell, but understanding that the entirety of that path is hell itself. From the shoes of the person doing it; having a reason to go through that hell again, to somehow make it worth it... that's the real hard part, it's the easiest choice to say; "Here, I don't feel any thing, why would I ever go back to that?"
It's still a choice though.
So, compassion, sure, sympathy... no, a prayer, definitely.