Kennedy Nephew References ASAM's Description of Addiction as Brain Disease

"This is not a moral issue. This is a brain illness," said Christopher Kennedy Lawford, during a morning interview today on the Fox and Friends news show.

Lawford, a member of the prominent Kennedy family, is an author, actor and activist. During the interview, he discussed lessons learned during his own recovery from addiction, pointing out that people have finally begun to understand that addiction is an illness, not a moral failing.

Kennedy referenced ASAM's definition of addiction, saying "The American Society of Addiction Medicine calls this a brain illness - it's not a matter of bad choices or bad behavior."

Since ASAM released the Definition of Addiction in 2011, it has been widely referenced to help further the understanding of addiction as a chronic brain disease.

Watch the interview here.