ABSTRACT
Science writing, like any other form of writing is thus, first and foremost, functional. The functional discourse of drugspeak is bi-directional; it comes from both sides of the fence and is mutually reinforcing. A characteristic of most scientific research studies is the emphasis placed on defining the central constructs and features of the research in a way that is clear and unambiguous. Within the scientific literature, the word “adaptive” has also come to have specific connotations within the theory of evolution and the process of natural selection. The social usefulness of compulsive explanations as removers of individual responsibility suggests that they will become more rather than less popular, especially where scientists continue to offer mechanistic explanations as the only “real” bases of behaviour. With respect to the criteria for Substance Abuse, a definition is offered in terms of “a maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences”.
