title: Addiction and addiction medicine: exploring opportunities for the general practitioner.
abstract: Addiction medicine deals with problems arising from the use of psychoactive substances, and encompasses the disciplines of general practice and primary care, psychiatry, psychology, internal medicine, public health, pharmacology and sociology. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing illness that is difficult to cure. There are now effective, evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of substance misuse disorders. Harm minimisation and treatment are more cost-effective than policing and supply-reduction methods of responding to substance misuse.
authors.affiliation: Community and Home Detox Service, Auckland Community Alcohol and Drug Service, Auckland, New Zealand. brian.mcavoy@waitematadhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: McAvoy
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010819:Physician's Role; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy