Its interesting that our own government has conflicting views on the disease vs. behavior issue. For example, we put drug offenders in treatment centers, but if they fail to stay sober or don't meet their parole requirements, we put them in jail. So in effect the courts are saying, "its a disease until we say it becomes a moral issue".
Its not that I want to debate, but calling alcoholism or addiction a disease has consequences, at least for me. If its a disease, then whatever I do under the influence I'm really not responsbile for and I feel like I may be beyond help. If its a *really* bad lifestyle then I am to blame for whatever consequences I incur as a result of drug abuse and that guilt may help prevent me from making those same choices again. If its a behavior I can modify-like learning a new skill-then I'm still responsible for all the bad choices I made-albeit they were complicated by my physical dependence (which is a real disease). But I'm still on the fence about what "addiction" is,