Addiction's aims are:

to provide an effective outlet for high quality research in the field of addiction by selecting excellent papers for publication and improving them through the review process,
to stimulate debate with the field of addiction on matters relating to the science or its translation into clinical practice or policy
to promote high quality research in the field of addiction worldwide through its publishing and other activities.

Addiction's scope spans human experimental, epidemiological, social science, historical, clinical and policy research relating to addiction, primarily but not exclusively in the areas of psychoactive substance use and/or gambling. In addition to original research, the journal features editorials, commentaries, reviews, letters, and book reviews.