I get very angry whenever I hear about people who have drug or alcohol problems given punishment through prison time or other psychologically damaging alternatives. They are suffering from something, not hurting others.
And I have researched these brain drugs that alter the chemistry of the brain. At this point in time, I believe it is very dangerous to accept any diagnosis given from the DSM4. Thes psychiatric medications can have very serious side effects including suicide and death. I believe the number of adverse reactions are being suppressed by the Pharmaceutical industry who seems to own many in government and the FDA nowadays.
I hope one day we can find solutions to addiction problems but curing a drug problem with drugs seems a little ironic.
And putting a poor sap in prison for self-medicating seems like you are just kicking someone who is already down. Seems to me that prison and experimental brain drugs could send someone who already has a problem into a bleak future. These things might be what ruins a person that might have had a chance.