Modified post. Read the edit at the buttom.

Now, call me crazy, I don’t think so! I have been an addict and I know how it is to be an addict, but I don’t think sugar is as addictive as cocaine. And I really am frustrated with people who say such things.

This notion that it’s as addictive drives me crazy! I mean, imagine someone gullible who says, well, “I can control my addiction to ice cream, heck I can go without ice cream for months, if it’s as addictive as cocaine, why not give cocaine a chance? It’s not like it’s gonna destroy me or something?” Yeah, I have once been this gullible (when I was younger) and I hate this.

I do crave sugar and I do occasionally (once per week and sometimes twice a month) buy sugary treats/lays packet (5 Indian Rupees, smallest one) to quench that craving, but I refuse to believe that it is as addictive as cocaine or any other drugs. PS: My last lays packet was 45 ago and I am fine, and this is the most addictive substance I have consumed.

I am pretty some people here have been addicted to cocaine (truly no judgement, I hope you are sober now), so what say you?

PS: If you haven’t been addicted to anything drastic as drugs, you are still welcome to chip in.

edit: thank you all for adding greater context.

I realize now that when they talk about sugar, they are not just talking abt lays and ice creams, but sugar in general. I get the studies now. But media is doing a terrible job of reporting on studies.

Also, the media depiction of scientific studies is really the worst. I mean, they make claims which garbage and/or incomplete data or publish articles on studies which make more alarming claims. Also, maybe wait for a consensus before you publish anything, i.e., don’t publish anything which isn’t peer reviewed and replicated multiple times. Yes, your readers might miss out on the latest and greatest, but it isn’t really helpful if the latest and greatest studies in science aren’t peer reviewed and backed up well by data.

I feel like a headline “SUGAR IS AS ADDICTIVE AS COCAINE” can and will be life destroying if you don’t give enough information. I feel like there should be an ethical responsibility to not sensationalize studies, maybe instead of “SUGAR IS AS ADDICTIVE AS COCAINE” give a headline like “Sugar and Addiction, what science says.”

also, https://i.imgur.com/VrBgrjA.png ss of bing chat gpt answering the question.

some articles: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/25/is-sugar-really-as-addictive-as-cocaine-scientists-row-over-effect-on-body-and-brain

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cravings/202209/is-sugar-addictive

https://brainmd.com/blog/what-do-sugar-and-cocaine-have-in-common/

    • pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafeEnglish
      111·
      1 year ago

      It’s wrong to deny obese people agency or to stop others from holding them responsible for their choices and the consequences.

      That’s exactly what does NOT help people.

      What does help people is openly saying they are the ones making the choice about their own bodies and, most importantly, respecting the fact that they’re making that choice instead of infantilizing obese people by labeling them drug addicts.

      The only way we lose the weight permanently is either a drastic lifestyle change usually spurred by tragedy or hormone altering drugs like Ozempic, which themselves become something obese people become dependent on.

      And that is true because we choose to live this way.

      If you would like to give us the right vocabulary so that we can speak about it with you please I will use your vocabulary.

      Here’s the right thing to say:

      “I respect your choices and your right to live as you please.”

      And that’s all. Stop talking about it and accept them as they are, and stop trying to manipulate other people by equating us with drug addicts.

      It’s not even anyone’s business whether someone is obese or not anyway so the whole discussion is moot.

        • pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafeEnglish
          101·
          1 year ago

          I disagree with the assumption.

          And I am an obese person who is telling you your beliefs are not true, and to no surprise to anyone, here you are not listening and instead choosing to override my authority on the subject and you trying to impose your will on me to protect your cherished personal worldview in the face of the truth.

          An enabler demonstrating for all of us this is only about you and your need to have someone to save to feel needed, to the extent you are denying fully grown adults the respect of their personal experiences and their own agency as human beings? Well, knock me over with a feather.

          And it’s not insulin insensitivity, it’s insulin resistance, and you know what stops that? Choosing to cut out sugar. Know how I know that? Because diabetes runs in my family and that’s exactly what I did earlier in the year.

          You know how it is people do that? By being open and honest about their own choices and exercising their own agency, which you don’t allow people to do because you wouldn’t feel needed without invalids to care for.

          And who cares if your behavior is making the problem worse? That’s not a bug for you, that’s a feature.