When I was dealing with my problem, I would go on binges … 3-5 days straight stuffing as much stuff up my nose as I could, until I ran out of money, then I’d crash and sleep for a few days.

Then I wouldn’t do anything at all for several weeks, sometimes for a few months until that overwhelming urge hit me again … and off on another binge I’d go.

Drug problems and addictions manifest themselves in different ways for different people. Perhaps Boonen’s “problem” hasn’t hit the point where it really is a problem yet, where it’s still under control, and not a full-fledged addiction.

A lot of people have functional addictions … they still need their fix everyday, but are not so consumed by the addiction that they aren’t able to otherwise function normally in society.

A lot of people are able to stay clean for while, until pressures build up so much they need to escape somehow. Some people drink. Some people do drugs. Some people ride their bikes.

When I cleaned up, riding a bike became my new addiction … it saved my life, which is why my lack of motivation to ride now is so disheartening to me. At least I’m not turning back to my old habits … just about 17 years clean at this point.

From what I can tell from the various articles published thus far, nobody is enabling Boonen at this point. He’s been banned from the Tour. He may lose his job. He may do jail time (Belgium has much harsher drug laws in some ways than the United States). He will almost certainly face a hefty fine, and will suffer future contract consequences.

I question whether he has a ‘problem’ though. Here is why. Someone with the ‘problem’ can barely make it a day with out the ‘medication’ let alone the multiple weeks a grand tour entails.

Oh yeah, it is not a ‘problem’ it is a Disease.