Addiction
Another item of some scientific controversy
concerns whether smoking is an
"addictive" behaviour. One major problem in
evaluating such a claim is
that scientists are unable to agree on a
satisfactory definition of
"addiction"! It has been agreed by several
scientific bodies to
substitute the term "dependence" for addiction;
however. this does not
really help as a wide variety of definitions of
"dependence" also exist.
Current definitions are extremely wide; to take an
extreme example, the
broad criteria that are commonly used to describe
drug dependence could
also be used to show that one is dependent on a
great many behaviours eg
eating, drinking, and a variety of other
behaviours that can be considered
to be pleasurable. However, it must be borne in
mind that the scientific
community does not regard eating and drinking as
potentially harmful to
the individual or to society; this is not so with
drug abuse. The
question then arises as to whether, on a continuum
of
"dependence-producing behaviour" (in its broadest
sense), smoking can more
likely be related to supposedly harmless
activities such as eating and
drinking, or to dependence on hard drugs such as
heroin, with the
concomitant individual and social decay.
Dependence on hard drugs such as heroin or even
cocaine produces a huge
number of problems for the user. There is intense
physical dependence,
characterised by a very severe and
life-threatening withdrawal syndrome.
Psychological dependence on the euphoric state
produced by these drugs is
also intense. Attempts to give up the drugs are
frequently unsuccessful,
and the relapse rate is exceptionally high. There
is considerable danger
to the individual (such drugs produce a
psychological state that can only
be described as 'intoxication'; the individual is
frequently unaware of or
unconcerned about his surrounding and cannot
function socially under the
influence of the drugs) and to society (the
extremely strona compulsion to
take the drug, combined with high price. often
lead to petty crime,
prostitution and even murder).
Cigarette smoking clearly cannot be considered to
resemble the above
behaviour. 'Withdrawal symptoms' from smoking are
minor and irritating
rather than life-threatening, and are not present
in all individuals.
Many people succeed in giving up smoking should
they wish to. There is
Little evidence that, after cigarette smoking, the
psychological function
of the individual is changed in any way other than
for the better
(perceived improvements in attention and
performance) and overdose is
practically impossible. In these respects, smoking
is less harmful, from
a dependence-producing point of view, than
alcohol. which is a totally
socially acceptable drug-taking behaviour.
Smoking. then, can much more logically be placed
towards the lower end of
the continuum, along with eating and drinking,
particularly drinking of
coffee.
C)
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00
(71
BATCo document for Province of BritiSh Columbia I
November 1999