The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7487 p120
2 February 2008

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Letters to the Editor

Drug addiction

Money spent on drug addiction could be better used

From Dr R. C. Jacob, MRPharmS

I refer to the article by Fraser Harvie (PJ, 19 January 2008, p59), in which he asserts that drug addiction is a disease. I dispute this. It is not a disease in the accepted sense of the word, although I have seen drug addiction referred to as a “social disease”. This is sociological claptrap. No one, be they dim or bright, can be unaware of consequences of what happens once the foot is on this particular slippery slope.

He also states “addiction is a controversial subject about which people have strong feelings and prejudices”. True, but what is prejudice? Does it mean views held by others that are not shared by oneself?

In 2004, Pamela Mason stated that “pharmacists should be sympathetic to hangover sufferers” (PJ, 4 December 2004, p817 PDF 70K). Later (PJ, 18/25 December 2004, p881), I refuted this when I stated, inter alia, that “those who drink themselves into such a state deserve everything they get”. Drug addiction and hangovers are illustrative of the “it’s not my fault, it’s someone else’s” syndrome.

The money spent on drug addiction matters would be better spent on helping those poor souls who suffer terrible diseases and conditions through no fault of their own.

R. C. Jacob
Orpington, Kent

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