David Sack's View That Drug Addiction Is A Disease

It is believed that drug addiction is a disease. David Sack makes three good points as to why we should reexamine addiction to be a disease. He mentions that if it were not a disease why would so many people suffer from relapse. He backs up this idea with a study that followed a year long treatment for heroin addicts. Half of the addicts in treatment dropped out, and 80% of the individuals used heroin. After the study followed up with participants three years later only 8% were abstinent (Sack, 2014). As well as, drug addiction is considered to be a mental disorder, and genetics has an impact. In fact, if an individual is addicted to one substance, he or she has an increased risk of becoming addicted to another substance (Sack, 2014). Lastly,

He backs up this theory by stating that most individuals who stop using a substance do so without any formal treatment. As well as, individuals had an increased chance of quitting if they dealt with financial pressures, problems with the justice system, and or family obligations. He believes that the continued use of a drug is the result of immediate pleasure and delayed penalties (Sack, 2014). Additionally, according to Carl Hart, he believes that where people are born and raised increases their chances of using a substance; being raised in a poor community increases an individuals chances. Hart makes a valid point when he states, “while drug use rates are similar across classes, addiction – like most other illnesses – is not an equal-opportunity disorder.” The drug of choice varies by where an individual is raised. Take for example crack, it is more widely used within poor communities because it cheaper (Sack, 2014). Lastly, even though Marc Lewis does not agree with the theory that drug addiction is the result of choice, he does make a valid point that the brain is capable of learning and unlearning. The brain changes from drug use as a result of learning. With the use of self-programming individuals can avoid making decisions that will lead them to relapse and are capable of abstaining from use of drugs (Sack,

For starters, I am aware that within society people have varying opinions about addiction. However, in order for addicts to receive the same respect as other individuals within society, it is important that as a society people better understand addiction. Some people do not understand that some individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction, and that as a result of using substances, the brain is altered. Peg O’Connor makes a valid point when she mentions that no one says that his or her dream in life is to become an addict, and as a result of substance use, drugs become a way of life for the individual (Sack,