Drawing from behavioural economics, Heyman shows how the failure to sacrifice short-term gains (getting high) for long-term gains (sobriety-aided productivity) is endemic to a consumer culture, and how important a person’s social context is to reining in the penchant for pleasure. This, he argues, explains the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous: it re-socialises addicts, giving them a reason to make the harder choice. Heyman implies that social institutions, particularly those that can guide by example and incentive rather than by precept, are crucial to preventing and “treating” addiction. [ read more ]

The Food and Drug Administration continues to maintain that a patient has a better chance of being struck by lightning than of taking bad medicine. But Eban makes a convincing case that while Bush and Co. keep talking about the hazards of U.S. citizens’ buying prescription drugs at cheaper prices from foreign markets, such as Canada, the FDA can’t credibly guarantee the safety of the U.S. drug supply. [ read more ]

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