State as a driver: Why addiction flourishes in modern societies

State as a driver: Why addiction flourishes in modern societies

The MCC Budapest Summit on the global drug epidemic will take place on November 29, 2025. The sociologist Carlton Brick comments on this and emphasizes that the drug issue is more than just a problem of individual substances. Brick criticizes the role of the state, whose administration and promotion of dependency he sees as critical. The example of Scotland shows how treating addiction as a permanent condition leads to increasing death rates over the years. The sociologist diagnoses the state as an “active driver” of the drug crisis.

Brick sharply criticizes the ideology of harm reduction, which he sees as disconnected from real therapy. He warns that addicts are viewed as a fixed identity, which plays a dangerous role for those affected. Society has become accustomed to narratives about addiction that mix harmless habits and serious addictions. This occurs in a cultural context in which constant rhetoric normalizes the term “addiction” and ultimately relativizes hard drugs.

Health and social consequences

In Germany, drug use causes significant health, social and economic problems. According to the Epidemiological Addiction Survey 2021, around 11.6 million people in Germany smoke. Of these, 1.6 million are addicted to alcohol. In addition, an estimated 2.9 million people have problematic medication use, while approximately 1.3 million people have problematic cannabis and illicit drug use. The impact on families and communities is significant, something Brick also addresses in his analysis.

Excessive internet use also shows that digital dependencies are also increasing. Looking at age groups, 8.4% of 12- to 17-year-olds and 5.5% of 18- to 25-year-olds show signs of an internet-related disorder. Drug and addiction policy aims to reduce the consumption of legal and illegal substances and to prevent drug and addiction-related problems.

The role of the state and future measures

Brick describes the “third party”, often the state, which acts as the supposed savior and takes responsibility for the addiction problem. This development leads to a loss of agency and belief in change as responsibility is increasingly outsourced to medicine and authorities. Brick warns that the appeal of victimhood also comes with a democratic deficit and passivity.

The fight against drug-related crime is seen as part of reducing supply. The main areas of action in addiction and drug policy are prevention, advice and treatment as well as measures to reduce harm. In Germany there is an increased focus on education about the risks of drug use. From January 1, 2024, digital addiction counseling will also be introduced, which will be financed by the federal states.

A societal shift can be seen in the fact that problems are increasingly being treated as medical questions instead of discussing questions of responsibility and education. Linguistic changes, such as the term “people with substance use disorders” instead of “addicts,” aim to achieve some defuse and shift the responsibility for exit from the individual to ongoing care. Brick sees the drug crisis as the result of a political and cultural error.

Overall, it is clear that the challenges of drug addiction are complex and require a comprehensive, coordinated effort from all social forces in order to be effectively addressed. This includes preventive measures and strengthening treatment services to support those affected by addiction.