Should addiction be considered a disease?

The debate between addiction being classified as a disease is far from over.  The "addiction is a brain disease" argrument is not an old one, but is now recieving more attention and support because of our ability to condut brain scans of addicts and nonaddicts.  Their argrument says that because of the neural pathways created by drug usage, after a certain period of voluntary intake, it becomes an uncontrollable disease and these individuals shouldnt be held accountable for their behavior.  Their free will is absent(if you are a believer in free will to begin with). 

Is there such a thing known as addiction?

Many people claim that addiction can lead to many things whilst many people say that there is no such thing as addiction since everybody uses according to what they feel is right and to make them comfortable. Guys post your thoughts on this topic.

What is drug addiction?

What is at the core problem? If indivdiual, why should we care? If societial, who is to blame, dealers or addicts?

Is there such a thing as internet addiction?

So I have a college writing final tomorrow morning.  The topic? "Argue for or against the existence of internet addiction or take any position in between." They gave us a bunch of articles to look over and we have to use 3 in-text quotes from these articles.  But enough about me!  I already know what I'm writing on.... What about you guys? Is internet addiction a legitimate psychological disorder?  Or is it just an overdependence on technology?

Do we have free will when it comes to addiction?

Drug addiction has long been thought of as a choice one makes freely. However, recent neuroscience has shown the relationship been addiction and physiology. The dominant trend in neuroscience is now to say that addiction is a "brain disease."It may be interesting for you to read this article before posting: http://www.issues.org/17.3/leshner.htm Do you think that addiction is a brain disease? if so, do you think there is free will involved, or is it merely a deterministic process, which does not admit free choice?

Is addiction a disease such as alcoholism or drug use?

Addiction

"Once an addict, always an addict". Is this statement true.

Is TLC's reality show "My Strange Addiction" fake?

Eats Toilet Paper Chalk Eater Gum Huffer

Can reading be an addiction?

Gambling Addiction

People will addicted for gambling games ?

Drugs aren't bad, having an addiction is.

Can giving in to addiction be seen as weakness?

How do you stop a cigarette addiction?

My friend wants to stop smoking but he cant go a day without one. We gave him gum that is supposed to help with this but it doesnt seem to do much. Any suggestions?

Does game addiction really affect our life?

Is food addiction real?

Is video game addiction a real problem?

Is Facebook Addiction Disorder just a FAD?

Is our addiction to social media inspiring violence?

Would additional taxes on junk food lead to starvation due to addiction?

According to scientists at Scripps Flordia say rats fed high-calorie junk food became addicted to the food and voluntarily starved when given healthy food instead of cupcakes. If rats are not immune from junk food, people are definitely not. Is junk food will addiction? Is it a diabolical plan by the government to rid of fat people? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/29/health/main6343889.shtml

(nsfw)Does porn breed Sex Addiction?(nsfw)

Not much to say that the title didn't clear up. Plerase provide evidence or links or whatever.  

Drug abuse

Is it possible to try drugs once and not to get used?

Why do many people find the act of other people doing drugs to be wrong?

I am not talking about matters of law here, though that could play a part. Why, even when it is proven scientifically harmless to you, do people see a person altering their own consciousness to be wrong? The WHO has just produced a report that shows moderate cocaine use to not be a detriment to the health of the user. Marijuana is so non-toxic it's LD 5.0 is more thc than you could ever get into your body at once. Hallucinogens have shown to produce very positive mental effects on people including a study that showed how they unwire addiction in the brain. Most of the answers I get are overprotective and don't take into account the fact that the percentage of the population that becomes addicted to something is usually around a constant percentage and is completely outweighed by those who use responsibly. So tell me, why is it wrong for a person to alter their mind or body with an outside substance?

Are people who are addicted to heroin criminals or victims?

Do you think that people who are addicted to heroin are criminals because the act of using heroin itself is a crime and heroin addiction serves a purpose of leading them to commit more crimes? Many murders and crimes are also committed by drug or substance abusers but on the other hand of the argument, do you view these people as criminals or rather as victims to their own addiction due to the severity of negative situations in their lives? Do you think that heroin users should be rehabilitated or sent to jail as a form of deterrence?

Should the minimum legal drinking age be changed from 21 to 18?

This has been a very controversial topic especially for teenagers. Do you think lowering the legal age of drinking is a good idea or a bad one?