I agree with something I heard at an inpatient family program. Because the American Medical Association classified alcoholism as a disease the medical community began treating it in earnest, insurance companies began covering the treatment, and the negative social stigma began to dissipate. It made treatment available to more people seeking treatment.
These are all good things and beyond that, who cares what it's called. If you agree with the dictionaries definition or not, or the obvious inconsistencies if compared to cancer, etc. If it's used as an excuse for poor behavior by an active addict or not. If it's a result of a poor upbringing or an incomplete soul, or just plain bad luck.
The only thing that matters is if you can live with the behavior associated with it or not.