ABSTRACT
Inebriety’s hazards have long been recognized, evolving into ideas of addiction during the 19th century. Focus is on sociology’s contribution to addictions to drugs and alcohol, rather than on tobacco, gambling, or more debatable “addictions.” There are unexpectedly convincing arguments that drug addiction is largely a myth, based on stigmatizing some drugs and types of user as inherently problematic, then seeking confirmatory evidence whilst ignoring similar behaviors and problems with other drugs, and other types of user. Sociology has made a major but largely behind the scenes contribution to addiction research, often fronted by sympathetic clinicians. There is a substantial body of sociological and psychological theory on how people construct, perceive and manage risk, mostly not considering addiction. Sociological understandings have made an important but under-appreciated contribution to research on and interventions for addiction. Consequently, most drug users will present themselves differently in different social settings for socially functional reasons.
