" (Leshner, 2001) According to the NIDA drug addiction, much like cardiovascular disease causes changes in the individual's biological make up as shown in the following chart. Addiction and Cardiovascular Disease Change Biology

Source: NIDA (2007)

Furthermore, the NIDA reports that recovery from drug addiction is very much like recovery from other diseases as shown in the following chart.

Recovery from Diseases

Source: NIDA (2007)

The Interim and Final Reports of the Joint Committee of the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association on Narcotic Drugs entitled: "Drug Addiction, Crime or Disease?" relates: "An Authoritative definition of drug addiction is that propounded by the World Health Organization: "Drug addiction is a state of periodic and chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual and to society, produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its' characteristics include:

1) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means;

2) a tendency to increase the dose; and 3) a psychological and sometimes physical dependence on the effects of the drug." (Ploscowe, nd)

SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

This work has clearly demonstrated that according to the experts that drug addiction is a disease and not simply a choice made by an individual to become addicted to drugs. Drug addiction, much like other diseases often creeps upon the individual who is unaware that they are developing an addiction to drugs. Drug addiction has been for many decades understood to be a disease, just as alcoholism is a disease to which some individuals are genetically predisposed and which can be affected by

However, drug addiction, just as alcohol addiction begins with the voluntary use of the substance to which one becomes addicted and just as in treating and recovering from alcohol dependence, the individual who is addicted to drugs must take responsibility for their own recovery and must exert effort to regain control over their life and over their addiction to drugs.
Bibliography

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

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - the Science of Addiction (2007) National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction. Online available at http://www.drugabuse.gov/scienceofaddiction/

The Disease Concept (2007) Alcohol and Drug Treatment Referrals. Online available at http://www.alcohol-drug-treatment.net/disease_concept.html

Should Drug Addiction Be Considered a Disease?