I hadn't seen a link to this story here. Of course, it's not really news to me, or I'm sure any number of us.

ADHD Raises Risk of Substance Abuse (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1437&e=5&u=/hsn/20030819/hl_hsn/adhdraisesriskofsubstanceabuse&sid=95864962)

It starts like this:

MONDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDayNews) -- Children who are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to use illicit drugs as adolescents.

This group is also more likely to start using at an earlier age, says a study appearing in the August issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

This fits all of the literature I have ever seen.

Apparently ALL addictions are more likely in people with ADD. We have more addiction-prone personalities.

Yes we do....OR dealing with ADD is so painful we have to pick up something -- whatever it is -- to cope.....to feel better....to change a mood.....to bring us to a different place emotionally......This is the truth for me anyway.....

I OBJECT! Illegal substance use is in no way equivalent to addiction and abuse. I am so sick and tired of the media and our governments automatically equating illegal substance use to "abuse" and "addiction"! One can use any substance or perform any act or do anything at all without that act being abuse or addiction. This propaganda is abhorrent. People of adequate intelligence can make their own choices. Abuse and addiction come into play ONLY when there is insufficient ability to make an intelligent choice. Children and developmentally impaired addults - can't make that choice. Those who have become addicted and must use - can't make a choice. Between these extremes and complete abstinence is a whole spectrum of existence and ignoring it is intellectual betrayal.

Please don't misunderstand this post for a personal attack on the posters above or advocacy for illegal substance use. This is purely an apeal for intelligent discourse on what has become a very muddied topic. As an analogy please consider this statement: "All people with any diagnosed mental illness are deviant and must be prohibited from holding positions of responsibility, voting and procreation." How would you like our media and government to polarize this issue, one that affects us all so intimately? Granted, the analogy is perhaps too dramatic, but I believe it illustrates the point: One cannot ignore the full spectrum of experience and only focus on the extremes.

Sorry. Rant over. I guess I got passionate - I'm sure you all understand.

I totally take your point though, why. There ARE people who use things that are addictive but who aren't addicted to them, and the same is true of illegal substances.

I'm drug free myself but I have friends who smoke up, and they certainly aren't addicts.