Does this count as Addiction? And if so...when is it truly a bad thing?

[SWIMming]

A friend of mine is really just looking for opinions on this issue, and doesn't fully see any of it as a problem at this point, but he is curious about anonomous opinions on the situation.

This friend will openly confirm that he IS addicted to two specific substances, both of which are legal - those being nicotine and caffeine. He also admits he is naturally predisposed to stimulant addiction (based on family history, and a period of significant overuse of prescription amphetamine, where he was by all accounts, his own included, damned near an addict, until he willing dropped his rather signficant monthly prescription, out of self interest), as well as possibly the over use of downers (opiates as far as euphoria induction goes, others in order to aid him in his biggest psychological curse - falling asleep (irregardless of chemical condition, he has MAJOR sleep issues, specifically with actually falling asleep).

Anyway - here's the main question/situation this friend would like opinions on -

While he isn't (at this time, and in his, or his social circles, which includes users, non-users, and ex-users) addicted to any specific substance (other than nicotine and caffiene, as mentioned previously) he does have a SIGNIFICANT tendency to overuse psychotropics in general. This has led to some of his associates commenting on this general overuse, and him contemplating whether this constituted some form of addiction to mental alteration.

His use doesn't negatively impact his (current) lifestyle - his friends know, he is gainfully employed, and it doesn't affect his work life, and he is currently taking college classes (underperforming a bit, but thats due to personal issues, not the chemicals, though they assumeably don't help), and he is on very good terms with his family.

However, he tends to use various substances VERY regularily (not daily, but often damned close). He rotates the substances to avoid addiction, and puts the substances he's self identified as potentially significant problems into LONG rotations (such as nasal cocaine, amphetamine, and painkillers) and totally abstains from the substances that he knows would be immediate problems (Meth, any other admin method of cocaine, and the extreme end of the the opiate family).

However, he tends to feel bored when he has nothing, and definitely craves alteration of mood and mind - not as an escape, but as an improvement generally. When he abstains from his preferentially substances (stims, opiates, and psychedelics) he tends to fill the gaps with substances he has minimal liking for, such as booze, marijuana, or DXM.

Again, not everyday, but probably at LEAST 3/7 days is spent with SOMETHING significantly psychotropic in his system (including booze or pot), often closer to 5/7 days.

Anyways, this friend apologizes for the rambling, he dictated his questions/situation on one of his stimulant days.

He's curious to hear feedback on the situation.