The cultural turn in understanding 'addiction'.
The International journal on drug policy July 1, 2024 Masoomeh Maarefvand, Maziyar Ghiabi
The essay argues that the concept of 'addiction' must be rethought by taking seriously the diverse cultural scripts that shape its meaning and experience. Rather than a fixed, universal category, addiction is a fluid and pluralistic notion, increasingly applied to behaviors like eating, sex, gambling, and substance use, making many people 'addicts in practice.' The politics of addiction remains tied to controlled substances such as opioids, cocaine, cannabis, and psychedelics, yet the line between licit and illicit drugs is blurring. Culture is often overlooked or reduced to Anglo-American perspectives, but exploring non-Western epistemologies and practices of well-being can shift the discussion toward new historical trajectories and policy considerations.