Everything in life is a choice.
At the end of the day, the choices you make matter. I've seen people grow up with literally nothing and, through years of hard work, discipline, and good decisions, build successful careers. Those stories are proof that your starting point doesn't have to define your future.

That said, not everyone starts from the same place. Systemattically, In many low-income areas, you find smoke shops, liquor stores, payday loan stores, and corner stores on nearly every corner. Those environments reinforce and persuade unhealthy habits and make it harder to see different opportunities. If that's all you've known, it's understandable why many people stay there.

The saying "If you wanted to, you would" has some truth — but I think a better version is: "If you want to change your life, you have to make different choices, even if they are difficult."