Kirk did NOT break the Prime Directive… but Picard DID

I’m so tired of people saying Kirk is a bad captain because he didn’t follow the Prime Directive but Picard is awesome because he always did.

WRONG!

The Prime Directive does NOT mean that they can never help a planet that does not have warp capability.

Refer to the episodes “The Apple” and “Return of the Archons”: the Prime Directive only applies to "a living, growing culture." This is the most notable exception that applies to Kirk but there are several more:

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Prime_Directive

This means that Picard was wrong when he refused to help the planet addicted to drugs in Symbiosis and the girl whose planet was being destroyed in Pen Pals.