Privacy and addiction
A reader asks where patients being treated for substance abuse should have privacy protections.
In a word, no.
Alcohol and other-drug addicts, particularly in the early stages of their disease, often commit great harm to others. They also are likely responsible for at least 25% of society's medical costs, and possibly much more when we include peripheral diseases and disorders. Addicts don't want to stop using (for a variety of reasons involving a sense of power, which I can explain if you'd like) and must always be coerced into abstinence. Violating their purported right to privacy would increase the odds of such coercion being imposed by others.
All too often, close persons haven't a clue that a friend, co-worker or even family ...
