What is the difference between drug abuse and drug addiction?

Nico
#1. May 11th, 2009, at 12:43 AM.

drug abuse-when you get pain killers from the doctor and you take too many for the effects

addiction is when you can’t stop taking them,because you’re addicted to them.

drug abuse usually comes before addiction

mak
#2. May 11th, 2009, at 1:41 PM.

The definition and the explanation of Question is well explained by you only. I hope no more explanation and definition is required.

lord_darkclaw
#3. May 11th, 2009, at 3:01 PM.

Well, caffeine is addictive but it doesn’t really do any harm. It’s a legal drug consumed by hundreds of millions of people and even though they are addicted (the withdrawal symptoms are surprisingly severe) they do not risk health problems and so there is no particular reason for them to quit.

There are also people who are addicted to illegal drugs but do not suffer serious harm.
You’re right that there’s not much difference in the definitions but it is possible to be a drug addict yet not a drug abuser.

compassionate-angel
#4. May 14th, 2009, at 10:42 AM.

when you are addicted, you are abusing them..so, not much difference

pure_genius
#5. May 16th, 2009, at 10:49 AM.

I hope you will source your definitions. Your secondary definition of an addict would make everyone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder an addict.

Under federal law an addict is any individual who habitually uses any narcotic drug so as to endanger the public morals, health, safety, or welfare, or who is so far addicted to the use of narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with reference to his addiction. – 21 USC Sec. 802

Drug abuse is wholly determined by the legal status of a substance as your definition indicates. That is the distinction between addicts and abusers. Using cocaine once is abuse. Subsequent habitual use makes one an addict.