So if they say in their profiles they like reading and checking out new restaurants that's a deal killer?

Sounds like you go for the most attractive men, and the only ones who are single are the fucked up ones. Then there are the nice guys.

I'm out of the rat-race, but good luck :)

You're picking the wrong dudes.
Try giving men outside Vancouver a chance. Yes, that means interacting with men from (gasp) the dreaded suburbs. It might also help if you were more open to dating outside your race. There's a lot of good men out there who are a great catch; they just don't look contestants for "The Bachelorette."

Don't listen to these losers. You need higher standards girl, not struggling with substance abuse for starters.

like the bad boys hey.

I'm so glad that person was honest with you. It sounds like he is a good dude and I hope that he can remain clean long enough to feel confident that he can stay clean. He was able to be honest with you because you openly expressed that it was important to you to have a partner that doesn't have addiction issues. It sounds to me like you've figured it out, that some part of you somehow finds guys that do drugs. Almost none of my male friends do drugs so I can assure you that there are many guys that don't do drugs. Keep dating and being honest.

What do you think about alcohol, drug or no?

Vancouver as drug capital (both soft and hard drugs)
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The upheaval of the males role in society
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The new championing of women
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Despair and confusion for young men = drug abuse
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Rightly or wrongly, men in general, have been thrown under the bus. Opportunities have been removed and they are told every single day that they no longer hold positions of influence. They are confused and lost. It's a very tumultuous time for men. I think it's navigable for the older guys as they are established and able to handle the shift better. But younger men don't have the underlying experience and psychological tools to navigate the upheaval. So they medicate.

I never dated any man who takes drugs. It might be prevalent in some circles. But I mostly date people I meet through school or work. It's very sad indeed. I'm sure he's a great guy but better to avoid to save yourself from heartache.

You don't say how old you are - but if you are in your 20s, in my experience the dating pool gets smaller as you get older, but the quality gets better. When I was in my 20s I met people who did drugs too. So I took a long break - started volunteering with animal organizations to be with beings that really wanted my help and appreciated it. I got older, other people got older and all of a sudden the party was just too expensive. So people calm down as they get older. But I have to admit - the boys I still love and think about and wish I could be with the most are the ones I met in my 20s. The dysfunctional ones.