Originally Posted by NoelleR

Although, IMHO, there's NO difference between the terms 'habit forming' or 'addictive,' I DO believe there IS a difference between a person's body being 'physically addicted to' or physically dependent on' a drug and a person being 'an addict' (at least NOT the kind of 'addict' I was).

As an example, the folks in hospital cancer wards are often given morphine or fentanyl (80 times stronger than morphine), and these folks' bodies become physically addicted to/physically dependent on the morphine/fentanyl (their bodies would go into withdrawal if they were taken off these meds abruptly....HOWEVER, I would certainly NOT consider them to be addicts (at least NOT addicts of my caliber.....