Anon: 

The first thing that comes to mind talking about ADDICTS is the new

no-smoking regulations. Am wrapped about it - best thing Queensland has

ever done. Dirty, filthy, money grabbing habit that it is.

HOWEVER, has anyone asked a smoker how they are going to deal with the new laws? - (we all presume will give up because of the new regulations) - are they okay with it? Smoking is an addictive drug - not unlike alcohol or any type of drug. Ask the non-smokers to give up their 'morning coffee', 'their bacon and eggs on Sunday', their bottles of coke over the day! - seems minor - but to a smoker - IT IS A MAJOR THING - IT IS AN ADDICTION.

This brings me to my next example of 'alcohol' - an 'addiction'. Do people

truly understand what this means? AN ADDICTION IS SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED AND YOU CANNOT BE WITHOUT - quote.

Many are quoting in the news about how great it is smoking is being banned everywhere - and YEP that is awesome. (just by the way why doesn't the government just ban it totally if it is that bad - ??? - $$$). However, does anyone think of how difficult it is for a smoker - an addict - to give up?

Let alone an alcoholic! Please people, be a little more understanding about

the people who have an ADDICTION - YES A PROBLEM!!! - whether smoking - drinking - eating - whatever your addiction - people need some support here - not to be made to feel like ferals!

I believe a bad habit needs to be replaced with another habit - it needs to

become a way of life. Looking to you Mike for some ideas?????????????

Mike:  Thanks Anon.  Well that is not a very "professional quote". In fact it is quite an irresponsible quote. In that case I have many addictions. Namely, sex, food, air, water, money etc. The nature of addiction is usually expressed in the way it causes dysfunction in life. Of course the necessity of the practice, substance or emotion is a factor, but it is certainly not the defining issue.

Many are quoting in the news about how great it is smoking is being banned everywhere - and YEP that is awesome. (just by the way why doesn't the government just ban it totally if it is that bad - ??? - $$$). However, does anyone think of how difficult it is for a smoker - an addict - to give up?

Well some might see banning as an option. However, we should look at the greatest ever social experiment. The legislation known historically as "Prohibition" in the USA caused incredible damage to the country. Well meaning people decided alcohol should be outlawed and criminalised. Unfortunately this created the black market an the characters like Al Capone. Just making something like smoking illegal would never stop it as a practice. Of course it is different for marijuana use. An argument is that we do not need to legalise another drug. Although decriminalising and regulating the drug could be advantageous.

Yes they do need support. However, you cannot change what you don't acknowledge. Many addicts refuse to acknowledge they have an addiction. I know someone who told me a few years ago that she was an alcoholic. However when I talk to her today about her drinking problem she refuses to admit that it is an addiction.

I believe a bad habit needs to be replaced with another habit - it needs to

become a way of life. Looking to you Mike for some ideas?????????????

Yes that's a good point. For people that have a disorder of some sort relating to food substances or whatever, they can never be just dumped. Unfortunately it leaves a vacuum un people's lives which need to be replaced. Bad eating habits need to be replaced with good eating habits etc. That's why people often need a counsellor to, in a sense coach them through the process. There is a huge cost involved and governments are not prepared to outlay the money to do this. Although they do channel some of the massive profits acquired through gambling and use some of it to help people.

Here's a rather cumbersome definition but one that covers a few areas:

An Addiction can be described as an emotional or psychological need or dependence marked by compulsive behaviour that has progressed beyond voluntary control and repeats in some cases regardless of consequences.  It is usually characterised by dysfunctional behaviour that disrupts other areas of life to varying degrees.  In extreme cases the compulsion can turn into an obsession to the exclusion of everything else.