What is with the nonstop comparison of video games to hard drugs? There is no basis for comparing an activity of a person to the administration of chemicals that directly affect the physical and mental state of someone.

Under this train of thought, the following activities could be considered "addictions" for me

1. Getting up in the morning

2. Making breakfast

3. Going to work

4. Spending time with friends

5. Walking around the neighborhood

6. Going to the park

7. Riding my bicycle

8. Working on my house

9. Lifting weights

I could list many more things, but I think I have made my point. You tell me I can't do any of those things and I'm going to be very upset. The only difference is that as an adult I realize there are other things I can seek out as alternative activities. I also fundamentally _more_ activities than most children. Take away all of what I just listed and I am going to be exceptionally irate. Is there any individual in society which we expect to tolerate a removal of almost all of the activities in their life which they selected? Even prisoners get access to a library to prepare their own legal defense or educate themselves as they see fit.

Children have nearly zero autonomy in the US nowadays, the opportunity to participate in an interactive world (even a single player city building game for example) is one of the limited times they have a high level of autonomy. Suggesting that those activities are equivalent to hard drug addiction is facetious.