zlacker

addictions are not cured by teaching people that they can play for fun from time to time but not get in over their heads.

do you think heroin addicts and cigarette smokers never heard that it was bad for them?

>>fsckbo+(OP)
It's only an addiction if it becomes one. If you prevent it, you've solved the problem before it became one, which is usually the most effective way of solving problems.

For instance, Portugal had a crisis 25 years ago with sky high number of drug related deaths, HIV infections etc. The solution was decriminalization and education, e.g. about sharing syringes. And it worked, they went from the worst I drug related deaths to best. Heroin is still bad for you and I guess people still use drugs, but at least the outcome is not catastrophic anymore.

So yes, I do think education cures a lot of problems.