Should Addiction Illegal Substances be Treated as a Disease or Crime?

[SkepticThinker]

1) That's a matter of opinion, just as my stance on addiction is

The factors I listed are not a matter of opinion.

1)
2) Why is it necessary to empathize with someone who has done absolutely nothing for me?

It's not. But it reveals a lot about you and your supposed "strength."

 

[Titanic]

I would say they should be treated as Addiction's.(I used to be an addict).

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

It's not. But it reveals a lot about you and your supposed "strength."

Empathy and willpower are two entirely different things... Now you're just being bitter, and as with addicts, I simply do not care

 

[SkepticThinker]

Empathy and willpower are two entirely different things... Now you're just being bitter, and as with addicts, I simply do not care

Then why are you even in this thread to begin with?

Great, so we know where you stand and what your uninformed opinion is. From my own experience, people who feel the need to point out how strong they are, maybe aren't as strong as they seem to think.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Then why are you even in this thread to begin with?

Great, so we know where you stand and what your uninformed opinion is. From my own experience, people who feel the need to point out how strong they are, maybe aren't as strong as they seem to think.

I didn't say I was stronger than the average person, just that addicts are weaker.

 

[SkepticThinker]

So far as I know, addictions can be more effectively treated as diseases than as crimes. That is, criminal punishments for addictions seem to reverse the addiction much less frequently than do therapies.

This ^^^

 

[SkepticThinker]

I didn't say I was stronger than the average person, just that addicts are weaker.

The implication being that you're stronger than an addict. Which is based solely on your personal opinion and ignores the dynamics of addiction.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

The implication being that you're stronger than an addict. Which is based solely on your personal opinion and ignores the dynamics of addiction.

Yes, I would say in terms of willpower I am definitely stronger than an addict, seeing as I use drugs and am not addicted. And these dynamics you speak of are according to the opinions of the people who view addiction as a disease. It's only not a matter of opinion to you because you also have that opinion...

 

[LegionOnomaMoi]

Ah, the old "I know one example of something, therefore I know all about something." Yet, one example does not a law of science make.

That's ridiculous. How am I supposed to prove any and all religious or ideological statements correct if I agree, and incorrect if I don't, when you insist that somehow one counter-example is somehow different than one example? If I can proved that not all numbers can be expressed as a fraction simply by giving an example of one that can't, it logically follows that I can prove all numbers are even by noting that 4, 6, & 8 (and that's THREE examples) are all multiples of 2?

You are unfairly biasing the standards in favor of reason and logic and against dogma. That's not fair.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

That's ridiculous. How am I supposed to prove any and all religious or ideological statements correct if I agree, and incorrect if I don't, when you insist that somehow one counter-example is somehow different than one example? If I can proved that not all numbers can be expressed as a fraction simply by giving an example of one that can't, it logically follows that I can prove all numbers are even by noting that 4, 6, & 8 (and that's THREE examples) are all multiples of 2?

You are unfairly biasing the standards in favor of reason and logic and against dogma. That's not fair.

Nobody was discussing religion or ideology... The subject was addiction.

 

[Sunstone]

Nobody was discussing religion or ideology... The subject was addiction.

 

[SkepticThinker]

Yes, I would say in terms of willpower I am definitely stronger than an addict, seeing as I use drugs and am not addicted. And these dynamics you speak of are according to the opinions of the people who view addiction as a disease. It's only not a matter of opinion to you because you also have that opinion...

Well,I bet you feel really good about yourself! Congratulations!

No. It's based on study and research of the human brain. Ya know, like empirical evidence.

What you've said here is like saying, "your opinion that battery acid is bad for you is based on the opinions of people who view battery acid as poisonous. You only agree with them because you also have that opinion." Ummm, no.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Well,I bet you feel really good about yourself! Congratulations!

No. It's based on study and research of the human brain. Ya know, like empirical evidence.

What you've said here is like saying, "your opinion that battery acid is bad for you is based on the opinions of people who view battery acid as poisonous. You only agree with them because you also have that opinion." Ummm, no.

No, battery acid is poisonous to everybody, but not everybody is susceptible to addiction. The studies done about the effects of addiction can obviously only be done on those people who are addicted.

 

[SkepticThinker]

No, battery acid is poisonous to everybody, but not everybody is susceptible to addiction. The studies done about the effects of addiction can obviously only be done on those people who are addicted.

How do you know? Maybe there's a person somewhere who can ingest battery acid without becoming ill or dying.

Anybody can become addicted to anything. Some people are more predisposed to addiction, given a variety of factors, yes, but that doesn't mean that other people are altogether exempt. In actuality, we all have a genetic predisposition to addiction to some degree or another because our brains are hardwired to seek out pleasure and rewards.

Studies are not limited only to addicted brains and the results of such studies are more than just "opinion."

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

How do you know? Maybe there's a person somewhere who can ingest battery acid without becoming ill or dying.

Anybody can become addicted to anything. Some people are more predisposed to addiction, given a variety of factors, yes, but that doesn't mean that other people are altogether exempt. In actuality, we all have a genetic predisposition to addiction to some degree or another because our brains are hardwired to seek out pleasure and rewards.

Studies are not limited only to addicted brains and the results of such studies are more than just "opinion."

So how can it be classified as a disease?

 

[SkepticThinker]

So how can it be classified as a disease?

dis·ease

noun 1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

2. any abnormal condition in a plant that interferes with its vital physiological processes, caused by pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, unfavorable environmental, genetic, or nutritional factors, etc.
Disease | Define Disease at Dictionary.com

disease /dis·ease/ (dĭ-zēz´) any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any body part, organ, or system that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown. See also entries under syndrome.
disease - definition of disease in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

dis·ease

noun 1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

2. any abnormal condition in a plant that interferes with its vital physiological processes, caused by pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, unfavorable environmental, genetic, or nutritional factors, etc.
Disease | Define Disease at Dictionary.com

disease /dis·ease/ (dĭ-zēz´) any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any body part, organ, or system that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown. See also entries under syndrome.
disease - definition of disease in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

you just said anybody can become addicted to anything, so how would that be outside the norm?

 

[SkepticThinker]

you just said anybody can become addicted to anything, so how would that be outside the norm?

I think you need to read the definitions again.

 

[Pagan_Patriot]

With regards to addicts, I'm just worried about 2 things.

1) I hope the government doesn't make society pay for their health bills. It was their choice to take drugs

2) I hope their addiction doesn't make them commit crimes(robbing people for money to feed their addiction).

Otherwise, if people want to drug themselves to death, idc. In the words of Adam Carolla, "That's Darwin taking out the garbage."

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I think you need to read the definitions again.

Still don't see anything that qualifies addiction