Drugs. Followed by rehab. Not going to go into details about the addiction, will focus on recovery, how the experience changed me, etc. This all happened two years ago.
Stay away from the D topics:
Death
Drugs
Divorce
And Depression!
Personally, that sounds like a good topic if you can pull it off/make it work for the college.
I’d recommend asking a guidance counsellor/English teacher/wait for more opinions from CC before making a final decision.
Drug recovery stories can be really powerful
Okay so my new essay is going to be about drug addiction, followed by near death, followed by my parent’s divorce, which caused me to sink into a deep depression.
Just kidding. Appreciate the feedback. Please keep it coming 
Yeah, only 2 years ago? avoid it. There is no upside to that. Think of a college essay in a little more professional fashion.
The biggest thing is to avoid revealing things about yourself that make you seem like a potential liability to the school.
The possibility of relapsing into drug use/addiction is one of those. Any indication that you might harm yourself or others. Any indication that you may commit other crimes or be academically dishonest.
Edit after seeing BrownParent’s post. Time is a funny thing. To a teenager, two years seems like a long time ago. To a 52-year-old man like me, it’s nothing.
Unfortunately, the answer to your question is… Probably. Google Becca Jannol (first described in the book, The Gatekeepers) and read about her and her essay.
From Harvard Education Publishing: “Becca Jannol takes a risk in her essay by detailing the ethical lessons she learned after eating a marijuana-laced brownie, hoping that her integrity and strong record of leadership will land her a spot in a selective college”
It did not work and she was waitlisted, mostly because of that essay. I give this advice over and over and people ignore me because they think this is a story which MUST be told. Okay, I say, but don’t be surprised at the consequences.
digmedia - really appreciate your comment.
Don’t write about your addiction to: gaming, drugs, internet porn, child porn, or College Confidential
Especially College confidential.
Is that really the #1 thing you wNt to have come to your mind when they think about you as a candidate? Find something that makes them want you on campus, not something to make them shy away.
Stop and consider why they ask you to write an essay.
It’s not a counseling session. It’s not an audition for a reality TV show. It’s not confession.
They want to see whether you would be a good fit. Remember the mantra: “Give them a reason to say yes.”
So before you write a word, ask yourself: “Does THIS give them a reason to say yes???”
I would absolutely choose another topic.