Addiction debate: Is it a disease or a choice? Experts weigh in

Some researchers argue that the roles of social environment and personal choice have to be considered in order to make progress in treating people addicted to drugs . The message emblazoned on a walkway window at the airport in Burlington, Vermont, is a startling departure from the usual tourism posters and welcome banners: “Addiction is not a choice. It’s a disease that can happen to anyone”.

The statement, part of a public service campaign in a United States community assailed by drug use , is intended to reduce stigma and encourage treatment. For decades, medical science has classified addiction as a chronic brain disease, but the concept has always been something of a hard sell to a sceptical public. That is because, unlike diseases such as Alzheimer’s, bone cancer, or Covid , personal choice does play a role, both in starting and ending drug use.



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