The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in its 2012 World drug report estimates that 0.6% of the world’s adult population – some 27 million people – are problem users of illicit drugs.1 This represents about 10% of all people who used illicit drugs in 2011 and suggests that most people can use drugs recreationally without becoming dependent. What makes these 10% different is the subject of active research and remains poorly understood, but whatever the reason, drug dependency frequently has damaging effects to the user and society and is therefore stigmatized both socially and legally.