Most scientific research ends up as unread papers published in arcane journals with boring titles. Now and then, for better or worse, some of their findings make it into public discourse and popular culture. The latest findings on the biochemistry of drug addiction by Wei Liping of Peking University, and her team, cry out for the public attention they deserve.
They go a long way towards explaining why some people are more prone to addiction and why it is so difficult to shake off once addiction has started. They will, hopefully, enlighten those in charge of catching, jailing and rehabilitating addicts, and educating others, to develop a better scientific understanding of the matter. Until then, anti-drug policies will always risk being counterproductive and even increasing the costs of addiction to society.
There are usually two opposing social attitudes towards addicts and how to treat them. One may be described as moralistic, portraying those who are tempted to experiment, and those already addicted, as having a choice to stop before their lives are ruined. This is the common message from the latest series of government TV commercials on addiction. One such commercial features a young drug addict as having a breakdown, surrounded by onlookers, in a crowded street. A voiceover warns people not to be tempted to experiment with drugs because they can't stop once they start.
Another public attitude is more liberal, or medical, and is inclined to treat addiction as something like a 'normal' disease. In this view, character, willpower and personal choices are largely irrelevant. Addicts are just like patients with a physical sickness.
Learning is, essentially, transforming sensory experiences into long-term memories and skills. This is achieved by forming new connections between nerve cells (also called neurons) through synapses, the gaps through which neurons communicate with one another. The 'wiring' of these connections and their networks enable us to learn new things and improve skills.