Why couldn't she just lock her in her room?

And to play devils advocate here, maybe she was trying to be a good mom... Maybe these were some really bad drug dealin, gangster people and she was seriously worried. :/

I had a "really bad, drug-dealin" friend, who my parents told me was a terrible influence.

Well, guess what?

He's now a world-renowned professor, with many published magazine articles.

Yes, but why would any mother assume her childs druggy friends would reform and become productive members of society? That is the exception, not the rule.

Everyone I was friends with became very successful, druggie or not.

Perhaps I was a good influence?

My sister, for example, joined up with the completely wrong crowd... however, a few years later wised up, and went out and found herself a multi-millionaire husband.

Yeah I dont think the whole "you do drugs so you wont become anything" saying works anymore

I have a lot of friends who do drugs (even "hardcore" drugs) that are in med school, law school etc.