# Why "Substance Abuse"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912 "2009-05-28T07:52:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/1 "2009-05-28T07:52:34Z")
Why do the media use this euphemism? Why not call a spade a spade? Instead of substance abuse, call it drug abuse-what is so hard about telling the truth? It isn’t as if nobody knows what is going on here…better yet, how about “drug use”? ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/2 "2009-05-28T08:13:12Z")
it includes alcohol too, no? which I guess is actually a drug, but I think “substance abuse” is shorthand for drugs and/or alcohol abuse. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/3 "2009-05-28T08:20:31Z")
Yeah. The definition of “drug” is not really agreed-upon by anyone. Most people consider “drugs” to be manmade. Are hallucinogenic fungi drugs? How about those toads that people lick? Wild peyote? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/4 "2009-05-28T09:37:48Z")
There’s also the misuse of manmade substances that aren’t supposed to be drugs. Like sniffing paint. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/5 "2009-05-28T10:03:37Z")
Any terminology that serves to undercut the artificial (yet pervasive) distinction between alcohol and other mind-altering drugs gets my stamp of approval. “Substance abuse” is a winner. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/6 "2009-05-28T10:26:46Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There’s also the misuse of manmade substances that aren’t supposed to be drugs. Like sniffing paint. …glue, butane, and so on - plenty of which are a mighty dangerous way to go chasing a high. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/7 "2009-05-28T10:46:13Z")
And how about people who overeat on bread and drink too much wine or is that transubstantiation abuse? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/8 "2009-05-28T11:30:51Z")
“Use” and “abuse” are not interchangeable terms, either. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/9 "2009-05-28T12:08:02Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Why not call a spade a spade? Because they prefer the term … nope, can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/10 "2009-05-28T12:26:31Z")
The term substance abuse also leads to people describing themselves or others as “substance-free”, which almost always makes me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/11 "2009-05-28T13:33:26Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > how about “drug use”? Because that would include people taking regular over-the-counter or prescription drugs like they’re supposed to. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/12 "2009-05-28T14:16:43Z")
There are all kinds of drugs of choice, and “substance abuse” is a good catch-all. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/13 "2009-05-28T14:25:48Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > The term substance abuse also leads to people describing themselves or others as “substance-free”, which almost always makes me laugh. Don’t most folks in recovery describe themselves as sober? (Whether it’s drugs/alcohol/whatever). ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/14 "2009-05-28T14:59:20Z")
I assume the term “substance abuse” comes from the notion of “controlled substances” as defined in the (U.S.) Controlled Sustances Act of 1970. This law outlines five categories (Schedules) of controlled substances. Steroids, for instance, are covered under Schedule III. The categories are not based on legality but on the potential for misuse, level of physical and psychological addiction, and whether it has a currently acceptable medical use. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/15 "2009-05-28T16:04:02Z")
Because if you describe things in terms of people who abuse things and people who use them responsibly you can continue to perpetuate the culture of shame that surrounds addiction. If you really want to call a spade a spade call it what it is. Addiction. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/16 "2009-05-28T17:17:11Z")
This way they can PC the term. Like on Wikipedia they are now putting caffeine in the same frame as addiction like alcohol and other drugs. OK I’ll admit caffeine is addictive, but it’s hardly like alcohol or drugs. No one’s life was ruined by caffeine. Except on that commerical where the wife saya “He never has a second cup of coffee at home.” Because some people don’t see alcohol or marijuana as drugs they use the generic “substance,” this way they can also include addictive but benign substances in it and lessen the shock of it. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/17 "2009-05-28T18:39:31Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > The term substance abuse also leads to people describing themselves or others as “substance-free”, which almost always makes me laugh. “Just an accident going somewhere to happen…” 😛 (See don’t ask’s post if you don’t get it.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/18 "2009-05-28T18:49:32Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > If you really want to call a spade a spade call it what it is. Addiction. I don’t know that this fits, frankly. That guy I knew in college who huffed air conditioning refrigerant couldn’t have been addicted to the stuff as he had never done that before. That didn’t keep him from doing considerable damage to his lungs. Substance abuse seems descriptive enough. Generally I don’t go for PC language, but in this particular case it seems to me the terms drug abuse or addiction weren’t capturing the wide range of behavior swirling around the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/19 "2009-05-28T18:58:18Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > This way they can PC the term. Like on Wikipedia they are now putting caffeine in the same frame as addiction like alcohol and other drugs. OK I’ll admit caffeine is addictive, but it’s hardly like alcohol or drugs. No one’s life was ruined by caffeine. Except on that commercial where the wife says “He never has a second cup of coffee at home.” Saying caffeine is as addictive as alcohol or other habit-forming drugs is not calling it a home-wrecker. > [@Markxxx](#): > > Because some people don’t see alcohol or marijuana as drugs they use the generic “substance,” this way they can also include addictive but benign substances in it and lessen the shock of it. Wait, who doesn’t see pot as a drug? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912/20 "2009-05-28T19:33:56Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Saying caffeine is as addictive as alcohol or other habit-forming drugs is not calling it a home-wrecker. > > Wait, who doesn’t see pot as a drug? Oh, plenty of people who will gladly talk to you for hours after closing time about, “it’s natural, 'cause it comes from _the Earth_, ya know”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-substance-abuse/497912.md?page=2)