Drugs, coffee, television – they can all be described as ‘addictive’. But when do they become a problem?
As a nation, we are drinking much more than we used to, which is partly attributable to alcohol being cheaper and more available than ever. Many British teenagers get into the habit early, although recent trends suggest this situation is improving (alcohol consumption among teenagers is slightly lower than it was ten years ago).
Upwards of 90 percent of the opium poppies in Myanmar’s northern region are grown in Shan State, even though farmers are aware that if they grow an illicit crop, it may be eradicated and they could lose everything. Alternative livelihood support is needed if growers are to be weaned off this double-edged source of income.
A limit on the number of high-stakes gambling machines allowed in each betting shop should be lifted to prevent high streets from being overrun by gambling outlets, a parliamentary select committee has said. But campaigners have called the move a ‘one-way bet towards more addictive gambling machines’.