Title : Should we apply ethical principles to treat addicts?

When we ask the question to ourselves if addicts should be treated medically and psychologically to get cured? The noble human answers as YES. An ignoble person will say NO. But normally seeing the person as a human being we all will surely say YES. Humans are very good in nature but circumstances change them accordingly. We cannot say anyone BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. We live in a world filled with selfishness and also hatred. The rising number of cases in courts is a proof for this. People under police custody also reveal that we are not at peace. Everyone in some way or other is an addict, positively or negatively. A priest is addicted to God. An athlete is addicted to sports. A drunkard is addicted to hot drinks. Many are addicted to mobile phones. Mobile addicted population will rise day by day and it is the duty of parents, teachers, psychologists, educationists, and doctors to find effective solutions to curb this menace. Ethics in addiction medicine center on treating substance use disorders as chronic medical conditions while balancing patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice to treat substance use disorder (SUD) as a treatable medical condition rather than a moral failing. The progress and cure of the ADDICT not only rests on the doctor but also from the family members, peer groups, relatives and the society at large. The hope is that addiction is treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences. Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases. The author will discuss 2 case studies in which addicts were back to normalcy.

Michael Anjello Jothi Rajan, Ph.D., Doctorate in Physics, had retired from active service on 31.05.2017 having worked as an Associate professor of Physics; Director, Bio-Nano Research Laboratory and Dean of Research and Project and headed the Department of Foundation Courses for a period of 13 years in Arul Anandar College (Autonomous), Karumathur-625514, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. He had put in a service of 8 years in Tamil Nadu Government PG School Education and 27 years in Higher Education in Tamil Nadu. He has guided 8 Ph.D.Scholars in. PHYSICS. He is in the editorial board and reviewer board for many national and international journals and serves as TAC member for multidisciplinary International Conferences related to cancer theranostics. He served as the Project Consultant the prestigious Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA from December 2017 to December 2020. He served as Associate-Director for Anantharaman Applied Research Centre for Science & Technology Innovations for Villagers Livelihood Empowerment in Don Bosco College(Co-Ed.), Athanavur, YelagiriHill-635853, Tamil Nadu, INDIA from December 2022 to July 2025. He has assisted Don Bosco College, Yelagiri Hills and Loyola College of Arts and Science, Mettala, Rasipuram Taluk, TamilNadu - 637407 for the first Assessment and Accreditation process for NAAC Bangalore to score and B grades respectively. He has received many awards for his academic works as well as work for poverty alleviation. He has visited many countries to motivate youth in the field on Physics, Science Communication, Bioethics, Medical Ethics and Human rights. In his capacity till December 2020, he has generated funds worth of 16.00 Crores Indian Rupees (Approx.17,93,600US$) towards his own projects and projects for Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology, Chennai–600025. At present he serves as General Secretary for AADHAVAN EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH TRUST. His research papers can be downloaded for free from the trust’s website: (www.aert.in)