Opium

Karl Marx said that religion is the opium of the people.  That is, religion is what you take to solve your problems, feel better, and stay uninvolved in more world-wide issues that people suffer through.  He saw religion as that which isolates in good feelings.  But maybe today with all the drugs going on to escape pain, isolate, and feel better, we might say that "opium has now become the religion of the people."  It is recovery programs, with their steps, personal and communal support, that must come first before anyone hopes to climb out of their drug addiction.  Recovery brings likenesses together, while religion is less of a guarantee to bring such a communal dynamic.  Religion can be a great support to recovery, and may even lead to recovery.  Surrender is important in both.