Numb

Normally I stay out of these debates becuase I don't know much about revocery and so forth.

But they say alcholism is a disease. If I had cancer I would get chemo. If a person is an alcholic they can get treatment, so to say that it is a disease, to me, that almost makes it ok for them to drink. Because they are no longer responsible for themselves, it can be an excuse to drink. It's the "disease" that is making me drive to the liqour store buy the liquour and ignore all my responsibliets. But that is only my opinion and I sure people won't agree.

TomsGirl

I believe it is a disease, like many others, that can be treated. Like diabetes, you take insulin, you watch your diet, etc. If you don't do what you have to do to treat it properly you can go blind, perhaps lose limbs, and even die. My sister has diabetes. She wasn't born with it and it doesn't run in my family. How did she get it? Her lifestyle I would say. She is way overweight and she certainly doesn't watch her diet at all.

It's not so much the debate as to whether it's a disease or not, the debate is more whether or not they want to make the effort needed to treat the disease and keep it under control. No different than the smoker with emphasyma who is on oxygen yet they still smoke. Tell me this, I'm a smoker. If I develope terminal lung cancer because I do smoke would you feel sorry for me or would you say "that's what you get for the choices you made". Oh, and by the way, our tax money also goes to the health care for that smoker with emphasyma. It also goes to the diabetic who won't watch their diet.

Saying alcoholism is a disease to me is more saying some people are more prone to it than others and I truly believe that. But it does not give them a free pass to continue to do it. If you have any sort of disease you have the choice to treat it or not treat it. It's not "natural selection", it's more how much do you value the "quality" of your own life. As for me the effects of my smoking are really starting to show up and I'm not liking it much therefore I am finally seriously considering taking on the effort of trying to quit.

denny57

But first you would have to ADMIT and ACCEPT you have cancer.

CatsTail

We also have programs for Heroin Addicts too, needle exchange with clean needles to cut the spread of disease and methadone programs.

In Quebec we have a provincial drug program where MOST medications are paid. Dental is paid for kids up to age 10.

The program in Ottawa makes good sense to me.

Ngaire

L8YNRED

What makes it different for a government or whatever to try to control or manage someone's drinking than it is for us? I don't get it.

robina

Because they can't do it alone. They need help to get and stay sober.

Also, because the philosophy is "harm reduction", which works well in some countries, although it's not practiced much in North America.

I really believe that family members can't get an alcoholic sober, but I do believe that AA or counsellors or rehab clinics or programs like this might offer that "helping hand" the person needs.

DesertEyes

Government's are trying to first reduce the damage caused by addiction. Needle exchange programs reduce disease. Shelters for the homeless reduce crime and deaths from exposure. Victims assistance programs help people recover their lives. These are all "damage control" approaches.

Government's also help fund addiction recovery programs in public hospitals. They don't control or manage people's drinking that way, they just offer low cost detox and education so people can manage their own addiction.

How _effective_ these programs are is a whole different issue

Mike :-)