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Originally Posted by russotto
Calling drug addiction a "disease" is both insulting to and demeaning of the addict. It's demeaning in that it promotes a view of the addict as a drug-seeking automaton, removing personal choice from the equation. It's insulting in that it indicates there's something wrong with addiction in itself.
There's a drug that probably a lot more than 1 in 10 Americans are addicted to, the mild stimulant known as caffeine. A mild addiction, but an addiction nontheless. Should addicts think of themselves as diseased? If someone were to offer to wave a magic wand and cure the addiction, would they be wrong to refuse, or to go back to using after being cured? I don't think so.
The harder drugs (including alcohol) are are a bigger problem for the addict. But it's not impossible to be addicted to them without destroying oneself, either. Wolf, you only see the worst of them; there's plenty of drug addicts out there who will not be stepping into your workplace.
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Russ, I am not talking about physical dependence as you have described.
Of course, people become physically dependent on caffien, tobacco, etc....
I am talking about alcoholism and drug addiction that kill people everyday.
Go back and read other post, if you don't mind. Alcoholism and drug addiction is one of our nations most prevelent health problems. By the way, I hope I did not insult you.......
by the way, it is probably insulting to alot of alcoholics and addicts that you would put a caffiene habit in the same class as the horrible illness they are experiencing or trying to overcome.