¿Drug addiction or drug dependence?

This Editorial aims to clear up the differences in conceptual definitions between Drug dependence
and Drug addiction, considering today’s criteria. These come into effect as from 2012-2013.
Study of this problem continues to make progress, nevertheless, attempting to provide answers
complementing knowledge about this.
Some of the important definitions to be considered are the following:
Psychoactive Drugs: acting on the CNS, bringing about changes to its functions, altering the
mood, cognitive and behavioural aspects, and inducing adaptive biological states in the consumer,
which can be self-administered.
Addiction Potential or Abuse Potential (Reinforcement or Addictive Potential) of a substance
determines the degree of likelihood of a substance or drug in certain circumstances being
self-administered.
Positive Reinforcement: the ability of a substance or drug to produce a pleasurable feeling,
stimulating the Reward System which is explained in the text.
Negative Reinforcement: consists of the appearance of discomfort caused by the lack of the
drug, motivating the following consumption to avoid this.
Addiction strictly speaking consists of: 1) The compulsive and overriding desire to consume
(“craving”); 2) Search conduct. Consumed in spite of the damage caused. Its mechanism is
dealt with in the text.
Dependence strictly speaking (refers to physical dependence): this requires repeated consumption
of the drug, tolerance and the appearance of the abstinence syndrome on its sudden suppression
or any significant drop in the dose, reducing the concentration in the blood and brain.