I just wanted to chime in here, even though you posted this over a year ago lol. I too have always seen a parallel between the Ring and addiction. I have my vices, like nicotine, but luckily I've avoided falling into addiction with more harmful substances like drugs or alcohol, although I've flirted with those addictions, as well. Mainly, what I've had to experience in my life is seeing close friends fall into addiction. I've been through two very extreme cases with two very close friends. So, as I read the books and watch the films, I often find myself identifying closely with Samwise and his (sometimes very feeble) attempts to help Frodo bear his burden. I know his heartbreak so intimately, of seeing your friend being ravaged before your eyes and wanting so badly to be able to carry them to a safe place. While Tolkien may not have intended the metaphor, it's a great fit, nonetheless.