What's with all the drug addicts on Captain Planet?

It was disturbing enough that the kid od'ed but the gashes on his arms with all the blood on the floor was awful. I sat and watched all the other clips- man , took me back to the day when cartoons would preach at you with a tagged on ending where you were warned not to go into abandoned houses or wear t-shirts with your name on it because paedos would get you!