Why is Alcoholism is Considered a Disease While Drug Addiction is Often Viewed as a Crime?

By Nancy Wurtzel

Alcoholism was once considered a personal or moral failing.  However, after the American Medical Association (AMA) declared alcoholism a disease in 1956, viewpoints began to shift.  Today, alcoholism is universally recognized as a health issue rather than a character flaw.

The same cannot be said about drug addiction.  In 1989, the AMA identified all other drug addictions as diseases, but attitudes surrounding drug addiction have been slow to change.  A Pew Research Center survey showed that while 67 percent believed treatment should be emphasized for those who abuse drugs, 26 percent still think drug users are criminals who should be jailed.

Why is there still such a disparity between how society views these addictions?

One reason is misinformation.  Alcohol consumption is legal (at a certain age) and is largely considered a benign social activity.  Drug use, on the other hand, is widely viewed as an abhorrent, personal choice, and one that is vastly more destructive than alcohol. Individuals who use drugs are routinely described as junkies or crackheads.

There are myths associated with drug addiction:

• People who become addicted are weak and a drain on society
• Dependence on drugs is a choice
• Drug users could stop if they really wanted to
• 12-step programs work for everyone
• An addict can be scared straight
• Decriminalization is an endorsement of drug use

Health care professionals who specialize in addiction point out that alcohol and drugs are both addictive substances and can be equally destructive.

Dr. John Sharp, an addiction-focused psychiatrist, explains, “The only difference is that alcohol is more prevalent. It’s the most widely used drug in the world, and it’s a normal part of many cultures. But people who are vulnerable to addiction run into trouble with it in the same way they would run into trouble with substances that they might need to reach out for more, like illegal drugs which aren’t as widely available.”

It’s also important to note that not everyone who consumes alcohol or drugs will become addicted.

Biology plays a significant role as a person’s genes account for about half of their risk for addiction.  Other causes include the environment, peer pressure, mental illness, self-medication, curiosity, and even boredom.  Studies have shown the earlier the drug use begins, the higher the risk it will lead to addiction.

The legal system has also played a role in how alcohol and drug addiction are viewed in our society.

For decades, national and state laws were rooted in Richard Nixon’s 1971 “War on Drugs,” a failed public policy, which encouraged the criminalization and incarceration of the nonviolent user of drugs.  Critics say this approach was counterproductive.  Instead of helping addicts, the “War on Drugs” filled our jails, created a culture of shame and did little to solve the problem of addiction.