Addiction as a Sickness: A Study of Tehran Resident's Attitudes toward Addiction as a Disease

Despite major shifts of thinking about addiction among scholars and public managers, a considerable part of the society still preceives addiction as a crime rather than a sickness. Utilizing the medicalization of deviance theory, this article assesses public opinions about addiction and its treatment. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 323 Tehran residents. Findings indicate that 25 percent of respondents are in complete agreement with a patient-oriented attitude toward addiction. The rise of this attitude is generally attributed to socioeconomic development, growth of modern ways of thinking, enhancement of knowledge and education, and positive approaches toward civil society organizations working with addicts.