Are drugs themselves the actual cause of drug addiction? Or is addiction caused by other factors that contribute to these spiralling addictions more so than the drug itself?  

The stigma attached to illicit drugs is a lingering stain that just won't go away. Most people you talk to will blame drugs for most of society's problems. The propaganda surrounding drugs have always been filling our heads with absolute nonsense for many decades now. I bought into it just as much as everyone else, but now looking back on hindsight, I literally laugh out loud when I see any drug propaganda. Obviously, most drugs aren't good for you, you don't have to be a scientist to know that, but they are nowhere near as bad as the mainstream media makes it out to be. Despite what they tell you, most users will in fact NOT become addicted to drugs, nor will they suffer long-term damage.