The Business of Addiction: Doctor Reveals How Commercial Interests Are Driving Drug Use

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In a blog post published on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website, Dr. Nora Volkow, a leading expert in addiction research, highlights how commercial interests significantly contribute to addiction and drug use. Dr. Volkow emphasizes that, while biomedical sciences have made strides in understanding the social determinants of health, one often-overlooked factor is the role that businesses play in driving behaviors that lead to addiction.

In her post she mentions that industries like alcohol, tobacco, and ultra-processed foods are some of the largest contributors to global morbidity and mortality. According to the CDC, excessive alcohol consumption causes over 178,000 deaths annually in the U.S., and tobacco-related diseases claim more than 480,000 lives each year. Ultra-processed foods, linked to diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancers, result in approximately 678,000 deaths annually. Together, these industries not only impact mortality but also incur billions in healthcare and societal costs.

At the root of these products is their ability to manipulate the brain’s reward system, creating addictive behaviors. Dr. Volkow explains that industries thrive by ensuring their products—whether sugary foods or nicotine-infused tobacco—trigger compulsive consumption. Emerging sectors like the vaping and cannabis industries are no different, using similar tactics to expand their consumer base, particularly among vulnerable groups like teenagers and seniors.

The post also sheds light on the rapidly growing vaping industry. While vaping is often promoted as less harmful than smoking, it still introduces users to nicotine addiction, particularly young people. Cannabis legalization has similarly opened the door for commercial interests to push products that appeal to children and young adults through colorful, candy-like packaging, raising concerns about increased usage. While those aged 18-30 have the highest rates of consumption, the fastest-growing group of cannabis users is now people aged 65 and older, with aggressive marketing targeting this demographic.

Dr. Volkow further outlines how the opioid crisis was fueled by commercial interests. Pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed addictive painkillers, leading to widespread misuse, and when access to legal opioids became limited, illegal drug markets, including heroin and fentanyl, filled the void.

Beyond substances, Dr. Volkow notes that technology also plays a growing role in addiction. Social media platforms, designed to foster compulsive use, have been linked to risky behaviors and poor mental health outcomes in adolescents. The rise of online gambling and sports betting apps adds another layer of concern, with vulnerable individuals at risk of developing gambling addictions.

Dr. Volkow concludes by calling for policy interventions similar to those applied to alcohol and tobacco to curb the negative impacts of these industries. Raising taxes, regulating advertising, and imposing age restrictions are some of the measures that have proven effective in the past and could be adapted for newer challenges like vaping, cannabis, and online gambling.

As history has shown, when commercial interests prioritize profits over public health, the consequences are often dire. Dr. Volkow urges more research into how commercial forces drive addiction, so evidence-based policies can be developed to mitigate harm and protect public well-being.

The full article can be found here.