Substance abuse is a pervasive problem in society ; it is made worse by addiction . Adam Brooks : Addiction is now considered to be a chronic disease that affects the body . For those addicted individuals with untreated mental illness , we should persuade them to go into treatment early on , because that may be contributing to their urges to use substance . He argues that for addicts , their decision - making processes are short - lived . Others : There is no cure for addiction , but the disease can be managed .
Substance abuse is a pervasive problem in society ; it is made worse by addiction . Adam Brooks : Addiction is now considered to be a chronic disease that affects the body . He argues that for addicts , their decision - making processes are short - lived . Others : There is no cure for addiction , but the disease can be managed .