Methamphetamine has slight physical withdrawals. It's mostly a psychological addiction, but that doesn't play into the zeitgeist our culture accepts or your own narrative. A meth addict will experience the same physical symptoms as a caffeine addict. It's not even comparable to an alcohol or heroin addiction. Meth is addictive after constant use because it makes your anxious and depressed when you're sober. If you've ever drank a lot of caffeine (200+ mg) or taken amphetamines, imagine three times the energy with a clean head-buzz. You feel like this is how life "should be" because the more you multitask, the more your euphoria rises.
A serious alcoholic will throw up and seize and faint if sober for too long. A meth addict will sleep.
Depriving an addict of any dignity is useless. It depends on whether the addict wants release from the drug or not. An addict chasing a high is different than an addict who can't stand the torment and just lapses but truly does desire to leave behind that life. If someone has abused alcohol for long enough, you can't simply 'go clean.' You have to wean yourself off with other addictive drugs or you'll die.
Alcohol, opiates, and amphetamines when done in excess all affect your dopamine receptors. Saz is just ignorant. And I'm one of the largest proponents of responsible drug use on the forum for any substance. On PP I debated about the merits of ecstasy and cocaine. I've also, for better or worse, dabbled in every substance you can think of - even obscure ones. I do agree the definition of binge drinking is too restrictive, but the college lifestyle is not harmless. Alcohol is pretty much one of the worst substances out there.
I've only been addicted to caffeine (still am probably), but I've been around it all.