Mwsg replied to my post about chemical use and abuse: “I have certainly abused both alcohol and drugs, but because of what I was taught by my parents, I was able to learn the hard lesson that came from doing this and able to stop myself before the abuse became a real issue beyond feeling like crap the next day or two.”
So I like the messages your parents gave you, mwsg, as well as their example. It’s tricky, though, to make too many assumptions about cause-effect relationship. Many parents take the same approach as yours did and still, one or more of their kids become dependent. Family dynamics, rituals, social environment, body chemistry (the X factor theory), and plain old free will all contribute in complex ways to whether someone becomes dependent or not.