Drug Addiction as a Disease

Paper Summary:

This paper argues as to whether drug addiction should be considered a disease or an individual choice. The paper presents and discusses the debate regarding the nature of drug addiction and how it should be viewed. It concludes that drug addiction is a disease and not simply a choice made by an individual to become addicted to drugs.

Table of Contents:
Objective
Introduction
Drug Addiction is a Disease
The Debate
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The work of Alan I. Leshner, Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse - National Institute of Health states that it is all too common that the individual who first experiments with addictive drugs such as cocaine with the intention of trying it only once "enjoys the drug's euphoric effect so much that in ensuing weeks and months he uses it again - and again. But in due time, he decides he really should quit. He knows that despite the incomparable short-term high he gets from using cocaine, the long-term consequences of its use are perilous. So he vows to stop using it. His brain, however, has a different agenda. It now demands cocaine." (Leshner, 2007) No matter how the individual tries at this point, many are unable to resist using the drug again and they use the drug beyond their own control in a compulsive and addictive manner."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Leshner, Alan I. (2007) Oops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction. NIDA. Online available at: http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Oops.html
• Ploscowe, Morris (nd) Drug Addiction, Crime of Disease? Interim and Final Reports of the Joint Committee of the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association on Narcotic Drugs. Scaffer Library of Drug Policy. Online available at: http://www.druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/library/studies/dacd/appendixa_3.htm
• Addiction or Chronic Disease (2005) National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction. Online available at: http://www.nida.nih.gov/about/welcome/aboutdrugabuse/chronicdisease/
• Leshner, Alan I. (2001) Drug Addiction, A Brain Disease. 11 July 2001 Issue 106. Online available at: http://web.uvic.ca/psyc/skelton/Teaching/General%20Readings/Drug%20Addiction%20opinion.htm
• Drug Abuse: A Preventable Behavior, Drug Addiction: A Treatable Disease. (1997) HealthWise July 1997. online available at: http://www.nih.gov/news/HealthWise/Jul97/story4.htm

More papers on Drug Addiction as a Disease:

• Analytical Essay # 128910 : "Drug Addiction - Brain Disease or Moral Issue?"
• Term Paper # 108255 : "Drug Addiction and Disease"
• Term Paper # 113650 : "Drug Addiction: A Disease or a Moral Deficiency?"

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