Research has established that addiction is a disease and the result of complex neurochemical and neurobiological processes. Depending on individual vulnerabilities, experimental use can quickly grow into addiction, a disease that involves permanent and irreversible changes in the biochemical functioning of the individual's brain but that can be effectively treated.

Public awareness campaigns should highlight these and other research-based insights into the nature of addiction. Educating people about the realities and misperceptions about substance abuse would reduce the stigma associated with addiction. This, in turn, would help bridge the "denial gap," encouraging those in need of treatment to seek it, and help close the gaps in treatment availability and intensity by building support for a more robust treatment system.